When Reality Becomes Blurred
by Paprika012345
Summary: When reality becomes blurred...amazing things can happen. Take Mika for example when reality blurred...she became a shinobi. GaaraOC, KakashiOC, NejiOC, SakuraSasuke, NarutoHinata
1. Chapter 1

A/N- Ok. This is the story that I've been working on for the past couple months…It's written out but...typing...(sweatdrop...) that might take a little more than a while...oh well. I know that there are a couple 'Naruto is real' fics on this site but...well...I couldn't resist. The three main characters are based on me and two of my friends.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto which belongs to Shonen Jump or, for this chapter, DanceDance Revolution which belongs to Koenmi.

When Reality Becomes Blurred

Chapter one

MikaFieldsstood in front of the TV, dance mat unfolded in front of her. She loved the game 'Dance Dance Revolution' and did an hour every day for her work out. She liked how it decreased her waistline, kept her fit and increased her agility. Changing the setting from 'light' to 'standard' she picked a song and began to dance.

She was caught off-guard, however when her mother came up behind her and said right in her ear "I don't know how you do that hon. Looks too hard for me." Mika leapt straight up into the air and, whirling around and said "MOM! Don't DO that. You know how badly you caught me off guard? That and you made me fail this dance." For when her mother had startled her and caused her to lose the rhythm…and 'FAILED' had flashed on the TV screen. "Sorry….Dinner is in 10." Mika glanced at the clock and smiled to herself. With dinner in 10 minutes she had plenty of time to eat before Naruto came on.

She turned off the game and turned to the giant ornate mirror that hung beside the TV. Checking her hair to make sure that she looked ok for supper-her mother had gone to the lengths to make a nice supper, so she, in turn should look nice. However she paused and looked at herself-it had been a while since she had done that.

Looking back at her in the mirror was a 18-year old girl with long black hair. Her skin was a deep tan in the summer but once winter rolled around her skin had a tenancy to lose all it's color and she became rather pale-this feature only accentuation her black hair and offset her hazel eyes. She wasn't particularly fond of her appearance-especially since noone else in her family was 'blessed' with these colors and was slightly resentful that she hadn't gotten her mothers crystal clear blue eyes or her fathers dark brown eyes.

She was so engrossed in looking at herself; she didn't hear her mother calling her for supper. Her mom came back downstairs and stood behind her and said "What are you looking at?" Mika jumped and said "Coming mom…."

Within the shadowy depths of the mirror stood a cluster of people, one standing over to the side. A silver-haired man towered over the four teenagers-a bandana holding his hair back and covering one of his eyes. A mask covered three quarters of the rest of his face. The only girl in the group had shoulder length pink hair and emerald eyes. There were three young boys-one had longish black hair, with eyes the color of onyx and a shirt that came up to his chin. One boy had an orange jump suit on and a shock of yellow hair coming out of his head with clear blue eyes. The final boy stood off to the side-his hair was a deep red and his eyes were a jade color and his eyes were rimmed with black. A brown gourd sat on his back.

"Sensei I must ask you. Is there a point to watching this girl?" Asked the black haired one. "Yes there is. I wouldn't waste your time like this if there wasn't." The silver haired one looked at the mirror glass that Mika's image had just vacated. "She lives outside the mirror...outside our realm however she bears the powers and capabilities for chakra control and a bloodline trait we thought that had all but died off." This caused the blonde one, the pink-haired one and the black haired one to gasp in shock and turn to look at the place Mika had just vacated as well. The red haired one merely said "Humph" and turned to watch the girl as she ate. There was something about her…

Mika toyed with her food, staring at it with her green-gold eyes before flicking said eyes towards the clock on the wall. She had seriously misjudged how much time she had because Naruto started in five minutes. Placing her hands firmly on the table, she pushed herself back and said "May I please be excused?" Her father looked at her suspiciously-he knew tonight was Naruto night. "Why?" he asked anyways. Mika merely flicked her eyes to the clock and back down to her father's scowling face. "I cannot understand why you watch that crud." Said her father darkly. Mika rolled her eyes-they went through this every week it seemed. "Dad leave my show alone." She said, and with a toss of her black hair, went downstairs to the TV room.

The shadows within the mirror watched the show with Mika. "That's the information that Orochimaru leaked to certain people before he was killed isn't it?" "Close Sakura." Said an older voice. "Remember…a few years ago we still lived…not in the mirror? Well Hokage-sama used a highly dangerous Jutsu to make everyone forget that we existed and we came here. There were a select few however, who chose to remain outside but retain their memories. Mostly Orochimaru's old gang. Tsunade let them stay out under the condition that they behaved themselves. So far they have-their only thing was they made this anime."

After the half-hour was over and Mika was finished watching Naruto, she plugged her dance pad back in to finish her work out. "I really wish that was real…" she said (speaking of Naruto). "Oh well." That being said she began to dance again.

Although her supper had revitalized her somewhat, she soon found herself fatigued because it was rather late by this point. This being said, she decided to try and send energy to her feet as she had seen done on Naruto. She wasn't stupid-nothing would happen-but she could possibly get like a psychological type of strength. Closing her eyes, she began to focus.

The red-head within the mirror was the only one who caught a glimpse of what she was doing (being the only one watching her) and said in a sharp voice "Kakashi." The silver-haired nin turned around and saw at once the level of chakra the girl was using. "Does she know?" he said to the insomniac Shinobi "I don't think so." Replied the other one in a grim voice. "We've got to stop her before she hurts herself…." Said the one named Kakashi, more to himself than to anyone else. A single hand seal formed on his hand and he dropped the barrier that prevented sound from escaping the mirror. "Mika stop it!" he called-loud enough for her to hear, soft enough so as not to raise her parent's suspicions that anyone else was down there.

This caught Mika off guard and she stopped focusing to look around. She mentally shrugged and looked down towards her feet. She was startled to see that they glowed a soft purple but when she blinked and it vanished she wrote it off as being a figment of her imagination. What was mysterious however, was the fact that she was suddenly no longer tired. This being said she danced for two straight hours without stopping.

At the end of two hours however, she was completely and utterly exhausted. She staggered over to the couch in front of the TV and collapsed onto it, falling asleep almost immediately.

When she awoke several hours later it was to muffled voices. "So we know she's a Shinobi. Now what?" That voice…. "Maybe we can communicate with her…" and that voice…she knew these voices…"How can _Kakashi-sensei_ teach her through that stupid barrier _Sakura_?" Those names… "My sand could probably get me at least through the mirror." _The mirror_. Mika pushed herself off of the couch and stumbled quietly over to the hunge guilt mirror that hung in her TV room. Looking into it she saw her reflection but past that she saw into the mirror.

A silver-haired man, wearing a mask over 3/4ths of his face. A black haired, black eyed teen leaning against a wall, a pink haired, green eyed girl looking at their teacher. A blonde wearing an orange jumpsuit and a redhead standing in the shadows looking bored.

"Kakashi-sensei can she see us?" said the black haired one. "Only if my guard is down. That's the only time the Jutsu is down." "Oh because she's looking right at us."

Kakashi whirled around as Mika fainted dead away.

A/N-So yeah...this is my real world fanfiction. At least the first chapter. Thanks to my one friend...'encouraging me' (nagging me and coming up with ideas) the story is...more that 20 chapters long. (sweatdrop) but yeah. R&R and tell me of your opinions on this story.

OH! and if you'd like to ask any of the characters questions whether they be my original characters or the characters from the show, feel free to do so in the review! i'll...i mean, the characters...will answer them.

Gaara-We will?  
(author glares at Gaara): Yes,Yes you will.

R&R


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter, Kira and ForeverForsaken. Everyone else...please review! I have a broken ankle and i need something to cheer me up. R&R

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto. Or DDR. Never have…doubt I ever will…unless…..(paprika starts to plot)

Chapter two

Mika cracked a green-gold eye, flinching in the harsh light that was shining right in her face. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes and attempted to get up. She could hear footsteps on the stairs and, as she looked up, her mother's worried face peered around the corner, down into the family room. She surveyed her surroundings and realized two things. One, her DDR pad was still unfolded in front of the TV, which accounted for the extremely painful jolts that were flying through the soles of her feet. Secondly, according to the VCR clock, only a minute or so had passed since she heard the voices in the mirror. _The mirror_. She glanced over to the object in question and saw only her own reflection.

Had she been…dreaming?

The silver-haired Jounin sagged against the 'glass' of the mirror. His hands hurt at having to form so many seals in so short a time. The blonde one gave him a Look and said "Well, Sensei, that was a close one now, wasn't it?" The older one merely nodded saying "We have to tell her soon. If she saw us once then she will start to be able to see through the Jutsu." He looked at the people around him. "Who wants to be the one who changes her life forever?" he said, in a semi-bitter voice.

Mika got up slowly, the pins and needles still making their presence known in her feet. She made her way over to the dance mat, folding it meticulously as her mother looked on, concerned. "Maybe you should go to bed now honey." Suggested her mother in a tired voice, as she tightened the robe she wore around her body. Mika nodded, signifying she heard her mother. As the elder Fields turned to go back upstairs Mika called out "Thanks mom…for coming, when you heard me fall." Her mother smiled at her gently "No problem honey. Good night." Mika finished putting away her dance pad, took one last suspicious look at the seemingly innocent mirror and went upstairs, turning out the lights as she went.

Once the shadowy figures in the mirror were absolutely sure noone was coming downstairs again, the reflective surface of the mirror vanished and a small room with a door could be seen inside of it. The shadowy figures seemed to have vanished from this mirror but if one had bothered to observe various other mirrors in the house, they would see figures tracing a path through the mirrors until they reached a definite goal. Mika's room. Once there, they waited until soft snores could be heard from the bed before they started talking.

"As I was saying before, how will Kakashi-sensei teach her how to control her Chakra through a mirror?" An older voice spoke up "I don't think I will be the one to teach her that particular skill. As he said before, Gaara can make his sand go through the glass of the mirror until I can manage to get the reversing jutsu from Tsunade-sama." "Reversing Jutsu?" asked a female voice. "Yes. It will reverse the jutsu that holds us in here and allow us through the mirror so that we may teach her. But even when we can get through the mirror, I think it might be good if Gaara continues to teach her…he has excellent chakra control."

"Let me get this straight. You're going to trust her with HIM?" said the female voice, somewhat incredulously. "He will kill her. Their personalities are too different." A soft, grating sound was heard and the female suddenly whimpered in pain. "Gaara put her down." Said a voice that brooked no room for argument.

The soft thump of a body dropping jarred Mika from her unsettled sleep. She looked over towards the mirror that was positioned above her dresser. She could see the mirror…but reflected in the mirror was a shirt that looked vaguely familiar but she couldn't quite place it…until she was awake enough to note that the colour of the shirt was…orange.

She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Once she had confirmed her consciousness, she made her way over to the mirror, assured that the person…what ever it may be…was real.

She subtly bent over and scooped up a pocket knife that she had been given ages ago. When she finally looked into the mirror, however, all thoughts of using the knife vanished and she stood in shock at the scene before her.

Various characters from the show her father always disparaged-Naruto-stood arranged around the room. The pink haired kunoichi, Sakura, stood at one side of the…room (Mika wasn't exactly sure what to call the space) apparently brushing sand off of her red outfit. A red haired ninja who looked like he was wearing too much eyeliner was placing a cork back into the abnormally large gourd he carried on his back, an icy glare on his face. A little shiver worked it's way through Mika's spine-Gaara. Naruto stood in front of her-hence the orange shirt-while Kakashi stood off to the side, looking tense, Kunai in his hand. Sasuke stood behind Gaara looking apprehensive when suddenly….

He looked right at Mika. Hazel clashed with black as he opened his mouth. "Kakashi-Sensei…" he said in a warning tone.

The silver haired Jounin turned around and looked at her with his one eye. Quickly sheathing his Kunai, he walked over towards the glass portion of the mirror. Naruto moved and Kakashi, raising one hand and (she assumed) smiling, said cheerfully "Yo."

Mika took a giant breath in with every intention to scream her lungs out but before she could, Kakashi's hands flew and…"Silencing Jutsu." He said calmly. And nothing came out of Mika's throat when she tried to scream. She grasped at her throat and began to panic until Kakashi held up his hand and said "I'll remove it if you promise not to scream. Mika nodded…what choice did she have, really?

"What is going on? What are you…" she trailed off, unable to think of appropriate wording for the situaion.

"Well I'm Hatake Kakashi…" he said ('I knew that' thought Mika, wryly.) "And this is Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. Oh and Sabaku no Gaara." Kakashi 'smiled' again and turned back to Mika. "I bet you're wondering where we're from." " I know where you're from I just don't know what you're doing here."

"Because, I mean…you guys aren't technically supposed to exist…"

"Well we do, get over it." Snarked a voice. "NARUTO!" yelled Sakura giving the demon vessel a whack on the head. "Do you have any questions?" asked Sakura, trying to remedy for Naruto's blunder.

"Why me?" was all she could think of.

"Well…" said Kakashi slowly. "It's a long story but put as simply as I can manage-You, Mika Fields, are the last suriving member and trait carrier of the Yourusashi Clan."

A/N-DUH DUH DUH! The Yourusashi clan is a bloodline trait that I made up...what does it do, you might ask? Well to find that out...review and it'll be in the next chapter .

C ya guys later...oh, if you want to read a good story, go check out Gin-Inu's 'Irony, thy name is Sakura'. it's really good

JA ne


	3. Chapter 3

A/N-Here is the third chapter of 'When Reality Becomes Blurred'. I must say I'm rather disappointed with the response but nonetheless I have a vow that I WILL get out the story…however ill received it may be. The offer still stands that reviewers can ask questions of the characters and they will answer. Thanks to Gin-Inu, Kira and ForeverForsaken who reviewed Chapter 2. R&R

Disclaimer-I Don't Own The characters in this story that are from Naruto. They belong to…it's Shounen Jump isn't it?

Chapter 3

Mika stared into the ornate mirror hanging on her wall…and burst out laughing. She had to slap a hand over her mouth and hold her side so that her laughter wouldn't arouse her parents. She sagged to the floor, leaning against the dresser as her laughter abated. Kakashi wrinkled his forehead and said "What, may I ask is so amusing?"

Mika sobered up as much as she could and said "You. The fact that my parents went to such amazing lengths to set this up, considering their 'opinions' of Naruto and the like." At this comment, Kakashi's visible eyebrow vanished into his forehead protector, Sakura's eyes started to flame at the insinuation she was part of a joke, Naruto had a look of cute confusion on his face, Sasuke had an amused smirk on his face and Gaara had a dark, threatening glare on his face which only got darker with every word Mika had said.

"It's…not a joke…" Said Naruto, finally catching on with what Mika was insinuating. Mika finally stopped giggling from the joke thought and stood up with a 'ok, enough is enough' look on her face. "Yeah. You guys are real…and 'Sabaku no Gaara'" she said, using finger quotes. "Is going to wrap me with his sand and give me the 'Desert Coffin.' Yeah…I'm going to bed now. Tomorrow I'm going to find the mechanism to shut down the hologram. Good night." She turned to her bed and began to climb in.

During this monologue no one had noticed the scowling red-haired in the back uncorking the gourd on his back. He was _ticked _at the insinuation that he was, as she put it 'a Hologram'. Whatever that was. A smirk came to his face. He would allow her to test her theory about the Desert Coffin. And at the same time, test that he could make it through the mirror with his sand…for future reference.

A hissing sound was the only warning she was given before something began to scratch at her legs. She looked down and was shocked at the sand wrapping slowly around her feet. She leapt backwards-thanking DDR for the agility- but found that the sand wasn't going to let go. If anything, the stuff moved faster up her legs. She clawed at it but it wasn't long before she was completely encased in the stuff. Only her face was showing. Kakashi had turned around and was glaring at Gaara while Mika shook in fear under the cloak of sand.

He could feel it via the sand…her shaking in fear. He smirked as he tightened it slightly, hearing her whimper in pain. "Feel the sand Fields. Is it cutting you?" he tightened it and continued "Does it feel real? Or like a 'hologram'"

"Let…me go…" She whispered, breath leaving her lungs. A kunai whistled through the air attempting to slice the sand but it failed. Sasuke pulled out another kunai and pointed it straight at Gaara.

"Hey I'm ticked that she said we were a joke to. But don't lose control of your temper Sabaku. Especially against someone who is so untrained. Do you have any idea how cowardly that is?" Said Sasuke a smirk on his face. With these words the sand gave Mika another squeeze and released her. As she stood unsteadily and glared at Gaara (who glared right back) she muttered something to Kakashi who frowned and said "Come again?"

She looked at him, brushing sand off of our clothes. "What exactly is my bloodline trait?"

Kakashi (one could only assume) smiled under the mask. "Your bloodline trait is one of the rarest, and most powerful. It's been awhile since it's been seen but according to our records, your trait can put your chakra into pretty much any item in the world and turn it into a weapon. For example, if you were to attempt your trait on a pen for example it would turn into a needle, not unlike the ones Haku used. Also those paper shuriken that you can make? Yeah…you can turn them into real shuriken. In other words you will never have a shortage of weapons." Kakashi paused here. "A rumor that went around the village of Konoha was that this bloodline trait can beat anything but it was never confirmed-that is they could even send the powers through the air itself as long as it has some sort of transmitter. Take Gaara's sand for example…once we get her chakra trained up a bit, she could transmit her energy through the grains and thus penetrate his sand barriers even."

Kakashi was interrupted at this point by Sasuke who said "Why don't you try it? Vengance for the 'Desert Coffin' thing?"

Mika glanced at Sasuke. "Well, for one, Uchiha, I, unlike you, am not an avenger. I don't get even, I just stay mad for a while. Secondly…if I don't have control over my Chakra yet u could hurt myself and everyone else. And thirdly, I haven't learned how to throw any weapons yet so I'll just end up hurting myself even more if I try to use a weapon. The closest I've gotten is a paper shuriken which is nothing like the real thing."

Kakashi smiled with approval. "Good. You already know not to use it unless absolutely necessary…and that revenge isn't a necessary use of untrained Chakra…this will take a shorter period than I thought, if you already know the theory from the show. I think we should-"

He was interrupted, this time, by Mika who gave a huge yawn. "Listen Kakashi. I am tired. It's late. Can we talk about this more tomorrow?" Kakashi nodded and Mika turned to get into bed. As she got under the covers and snuggled into her pillow, the last thought that went through her mind was 'When I wake up this morning this will all have been a dream. Goodnight figments of my overactive imagination.' She drifted off….

…. Only to be awoken the next morning by a shuriken thunking into the wall. She yelped and rolled onto her other side only to have Sabaku no Gaara sitting about a foot away from her, glaring at her…and it wasn't her plushie. She yelped again and rolled off of the bed, getting tangled in the sheets. As she attempted to untangle her sheets she eventually gave up and yanked the comforter off the bed, over her head. "I thought you were a dream." The sand mercilessly yanked the comforter out of her hands and he glared at her. "I thought we confirmed that I was real." The sand wrapped around her body and brought her into a standing position. The way she was standing now, she was about an inch away form his face but she wrenched away from the loosely holding sand and turned around. As the sand tightened she said "Let go _Sabaka_ no Gaara." The sand unceremoniously dropped her and he stood up. "Kakashi wanted me to tell you a few things. First of all, you are to have several paper shuriken on you at all times. According to Kakashi, the trait you have reacts if you are in danger and there is need to use it, even if you are untrained." "You're joking." Said Mika in a flat voice. "I don't joke." Said Gaara in an equally as flat voice. "Oh sorry I forgot."

"Secondly. He wrote down a list of the 12 hand seals and their corresponding names as well as some simple jutsu's such as the Kage Bunshin among others. You are to practice those whenever you have the chance." Again Mika nodded, accepting the bit of parchment from Gaara.

"Thirdly, take this little jar of sand in your pocket. When you are in danger and only then are you to break it and I will come help you." Mika acknowledged him with a 'hn.' Gaara scowled at her for taking his phrase.

"Don't forget any of these rules." He said emotionlessly as he disappeared in sand. "Relax Mr. Sandman. I won't. As she dressed for work, she remembered to slip those three items into her pocket.

As she thought, for the millionth time, over her circumstances, she realized just what was happening.

'I have a bodyguard who could build a floating sand castle. Perfect…wait. Why do I even need a bodyguard?"

A/N-There. There actually is an alternate way to how Mika discovers her powers…if you want to read the alternate version just say so in your review and I'll send it to you:) but yeah…REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Kira, Gin-Inu and Karen-Chan for reviewing the last chapter. After some serious deliberation I have decided that I'm going to continue the story!…I have friends, namely the editors who read the raw copy as I wrote it who would kill me for not posting it after the contributed so many ideas…the story would have died after 10 chapters. Read and ireview…and in the reviews, as I stated in the first chapter, the reviewers can ask questions of the characters and they will answer…all in good fun.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 4

"Thank you, have a nice day." Mika handed the customer their bag along with their receipt and smiled. When the customer was gone, she dropped her false cheery façade and let out a head-splitting yawn. Her luck was horrible…she had managed to land the morning shift after staying up super late. And while normally on Friday nights she was up late…she was never up as late as Kakashi had kept her up last night.

Kakashi. She still couldn't believe that she was thinking about that name in the context that…he was _real_. As this thought flew through her head she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small paper Shuriken. How could this flimsy thing protect her? She toyed with throwing it out but decided that such an action would probably only bring trouble. As she contemplated this, she was caught off guard when her supervisor, Rose, came up behind her and asked her to go and tidy up in the back of the store.

As she turned out her light and shuffled to the back of the store compliantly she was unaware of jade eyes watching her every move. In fact, it wasn't until she was wiping down a shelf with a cloth and came away with sand grains that she thought to look up. When she met his black-rimmed eyes she scowled deeply. Why the heck was _he_ here? It wasn't like she needed to be watched…who was going to come after her?

She mouthed sharply 'Get lost before someone sees you.' He simply scowled before vanishing. As she turned back to the groceries, she couldn't help but take a leaf out of Nara Shikamaru's book as she thought 'How troublesome he is.' Her hand had barely touched the products, however, when she heard a scream which she recognized instantly. It was one of the cashiers. The scream was unceremoniously cut off and there was a muffled thump, which Mika distinctly recognized as a body dropping to the floor. 'Oh no…' she thought anxiously.

She made her way to the front, trying to keep as quiet as she possibly could. Luck was, for the first time that day, on her side. Four ninja stood at the front of the store, over Rose's limp body. Because of this, the attackers of the store were distracted and therefore didn't notice her presence. As one-by-one she happened to see their forehead protectors she noticed something.

Every single protector had a single slash across the middle. Something like that only meant one thing. These were all missing nins.

"What, precisely, did the informant say?" asked one, obviously the leader. "He said that the one who we seek-the last surviving member of the Yourusashi is a close friend with the one of the ones who carries a demon. Her friend doesn't know about the demon however, which will work in our favor as long as we don't let on about it. And in finding Yourusashi, we will kill 2 birds with one stone. We will find the demon vessel and we will gain the powers of Yourusashi."

'They're talking about someone who carries a demon…they're forehead protectors are slashed…could they be members of Akatsuki?' thought Mika as she tried to formulate a plan. She reached into her pocket for the shuriken. 'I hope that Gaara and Kakashi were right about my trait responding to me when I'm in danger, even if I'm untrained.'

"But I see noone hear who matches the distinctive description that matches Yourusashi…black hair and hazel eyes." Mika froze. 'They want me…?'

Mika focused her energy onto the piece of paper in her hand. 'Please let this work…' she thought desperately. Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, she felt a large amount of power surging through her. And with this, the paper she was holding grew heavy in her hand. "Oh my…" she whispered in awe.

Next she, aware of how little time she had, attempted a second jutsu, based on what she had seen on the show-the Kage Bunshin. She managed to produce one clone of herself. Thankfully the shuriken duplicated as well. Her clone ran around to the other aisle.

On her signal, her clone threw the shuriken… and it landed in one of the ninja's necks, killing him almost instantly. With a poof her clone vanished as the leader threw a kunai through it. "A Kage Bunshin. She's here somewhere. Come out…Yourusashi."

Mika wasn't about to give up her position as having the element of surprise…there was advantage to that. Therefore, she waited until the nin was almost upon her and she leapt out and attacked with her one remaining shuriken.

She fought until the enemy managed to restrain her-not for long, in other words. "So you're the one who has the supposed 'rarest bloodline trait'? I was informed that you hadn't been trained in chakra control…how did you produce that pathetic looking clone?" Mika shrugged. "Don't ask me, I have no idea. It could have something to do with the fact that my bloodline reacts to when I'm in danger." "I see…" drawled the leader. "And tell me…do you know which of your friends is the carrier?"

This left Mika puzzled. "The carrier? I have no idea what your talking about." The enemy nodded. "Very well. Then you are of no further use to me." Without warning, he whipped out a kunai and sent it at Mika. She attempted to jump out of the way-not in time.

The kunai embedded itself in her leg, deeply. She hissed in pain and sank to the floor of the shop on her knees. A shaking hand rose to where the kunai was embedded in her leg, blood smearing on her hand. Her face was white and her entire body began to shake-hard.

A little know secret about Mika was this-she loathed the sight of blood. Unless it was on TV and she knew it was fake. But when it was real and it was coming out of her body. She hated it.

She pulled herself to her feet by supporting herself on a shelf. While she was attempting to stand, the three Akatsuki members had surrounded her and were preparing to kill her. It was at this moment, when all seemed lost when enemy nins were preparing to take her life that she remembered-the bottle. The small bottle of sand that Gaara had given to her earlier.

"You know what?" she said to them, her face hidden behind her black bangs. "You guys are cowards…you know that? Not only has every single one of you betrayed your village-and I hate traitors-but there are three fully trained ninja against an untrained one who is no higher than a Genin-not even. Only cowards would take those odds. Unfortunately for you, I have a very powerful ally."

As Mika finally got to her feet, she raised her hand several inches off of her pant leg. The ninjas tensed at what she was going to do but were confused when she did no more than slam her hand against her bad leg.

The glass cut into her and caused her to wince. She could feel the sand filter out of her pocket and onto the ground where it would definitely soak up a bit of her blood.

He was sitting on the roof of the store sensing nothing, feeling nothing. And then, blood.

The rouge nins looked around and, seeing no one, looked back at her. They were more than a little confused, however, when between them and her, stood a red-hared ninja with a gourd on his back and black rings around his eyes. The smirks that had been building on their faces from the lack of reinforcements died a quick death when they recognized who it was.

"Three on one? Not fair odds." He hissed. Sand slid out without a warning and within a minute the ninja from Akatsuki were dead.

As soon as Gaara let her, she ran over and checked Rose's pulse. Still alive. The other cashiers looked at her, dazed. "I'm going home." Rose's second-in-command, Carole, nodded dumbly, as Mika turned to leave. As she glanced over her shoulder at the door, she noticed that Gaara was forming rapid hand seals. A mind-erase Jutsu. As soon as this was done, and the bodies were taken care of, he was out the door and walking behind Mika.

With every step the Yourusashi took, blood dripped onto the ground. The kunai wound was deep and, Gaara was sure, it was causing her pain. But he couldn't help but admire her. She had just used her bloodline trait for the first time. She had fought against members of the Akatsuki (Gaara remembered one of them from his…brief stay with the rebel gang.) and she had come close to winning. Because of this newfound, fragile respect, the fact that she was walking in pain and bleeding out with every step didn't sit well with him.

"You are aware of how much blood that you are losing?" he said stoically. Mika she ignored him for as long as she could before he repeated his question, forcing her to answer. "I'm fine. I'll survive. But I must know…why didn't you help me if you were watching my every move?" she demanded, her voice rising with every syllable. "I. Went. Outside. As. Soon. As. You. Told. Me. To. Leave. How could I have know?" he demanded. "Well I don't need your help."

This amused Gaara. The girl was bleeding out and she insisted that she didn't need his help. 'She's stubborn. Might as well.' He thought.

Mika was caught off guard when she was scooped up bridal style. As her black hair settled back down from the sudden disturbance, she realized that it was Gaara who now held her.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry for yelling at you." She said semi-stiffly, a little uncomfortable at being held in the arms of a murderer. Gaara merely went "Hn." Caught off guard that she had apologized.

Knowing, that from Gaara at least that a Hn was the best 'your welcome' she was going to get from him, she nodded off as the Demon of the Sands carried her home.

A/N-There be the fourth chapter. Review!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N-It's official. The people who have reviewed the story (and in doing so encouraged me not to discontinue it) are AWESOME! Thanks to the people who reviewed chapter four/three-Gaara's Desert Rose, Gin-Inu, Kira, and Kagime and the owl. Special shout out to Kira who has reviewed from the beginning.

The offer still stands that, in reviews, questions of the characters can be asked. And the characters will answer. Read and Review.

Disclaimer-There is a distinct lack of ownership on Paprika's part...I only own Mika and any OC's that might appear in this story. Anything you recognize isn't mine.

Chapter 5

Mika managed to talk her way out of going to Church with her parents the next day by claiming to be sick. Since she didn't do this often, her parents believed her and before long, she was alone in the house. As soon as she was sure that her parents were gone, she sat up and yanked the covers that were weighing down her injured leg…off of her injured leg, hissing in pain all the while.

She attempted to swing her legs over the side of her bed while she looked over towards the mirror. Kakashi had told her last night before she had gone to sleep that

Sakura would be healing her wound for her this morning. Sometime during the last night, however, in that wonderful realm between sleep and wakefulness she had realized a concern which she now voiced to Kakashi.

"If only Gaara can get out of the mirror with his sand…how can Sakura get out to heal me?" Kakashi rummaged around in his bag for a moment before coming out with a scroll, which he opened and began to read. Without looking up he said "I had the same problem on my mind for most of last night. After you drifted off I went to go see Lady Hokage and she gave me this. It's a counter-jutsu, designed to remove the seal that prevents transport between the our world and yours."

As Kakashi started to do a complex series of hand seals, Mika reflected on something she hadn't told him…about the members of Akatsuki. It was now clear that Gaara hadn't told him anything either. 'The jutsu must be broken in some places if they could get through'. Mika got as far away from the mirror as she could as it started to glow and shake.

Then, with a surge of energy, thefour members of team 7, including Sensei stood in her room. 'A week ago I wished this would happen. Now I almost wish I could take it back. Almost.'

Sakura slipped off the backpack she had been carrying and rummaged around for the proper scroll to heal this particular injury-very basic. She made Mika lie down while she worked on healing the injury. While she did this, Kakashi spoke seriously to Mika.

"You know Mika…sooner or later, preferably sooner, you're going to have to tell your parents about the whole 'I'm a ninja' thing." Kakashi told Mika. Mika avoided his jet black eye and lowered her own eyes to the comforter of the bed. "I know. Especially if I have to go through any more healing processes like this…but…" Mika trailed off and surveyed the room-looking anywhere but at the five ninja currently standing in her room. "They don't understand about…this stuff…"

Sasuke arched his eyebrow. "This stuff?" he repeated. "What do you mean?" Mika waved a hand around the room. "I mean anything that has to do with anime. They don't like it, they don't accept it and in not liking it or accepting it they fail to understand it." "You'd be surprised." Spoke up an unexpected voice. They all turned toward Naruto who had been surprisingly quiet thus far.

"If they're your parents they should be able to accept it no matter what. Even if what you are doing is something they don't understand." Gaara slid his glance over at Naruto. "This from a orphan?" "I didn't learn this from my parents…I learned this from Hinata when I asked her out and her father objected because he didn't know me, personally."

Mika smiled widely when she heard that Naruto was with Hinata before turning back to the matters at hand. "So…I need to tell them…" Kakashi nodded. "I'm sorry Mika." He handed her something. "Tsundade-sama told me to give you this." Mika unfolded the piece of fabric to reveal a metal Konoha forehead protector. "She said if you can fight off nins with a kunai in your leg, untrained, you deserve it."

Mika beamed as she tied the protector around her neck…not the most comfy place…when she got a battle outfit she would have to find somewhere else to put it.

Later on that day when Mika's parents got home from church, Mika sat them right down to…break it to them gently…(in other words break it to them before she lost her courage.) She sat them down on the couch, fiddling with the forehead protector that she had taken off and now held in her hands. She had decided the route that she was going to take with this conversation…and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"What do you want to talk about so urgently Mika? I thought you were sick." Her father said gently. "I figured something out a couple days ago…and you can't prove that it's untrue because I have rock solid proof." Her parents nodded, indicating she should continue.

Taking a deep breath she confronted her parents with this truth: "I know I'm adopted." Her father let out a long sigh and buried his face in his hands. Her mother's eyes filled with tears as she opened her mouth. Mika never let her say anything however, before continuing. "No one in this family, on either side, has this coloring-pale with black hair and hazel eyes. And no one else…" she looked across the room, unable to continue her sentence, until she saw Kakashi in the mirror. This gave her the courage to finish what she was going to say.

"And no one else has the abilities of Shinobi that I have."

This statement caused a dead silence in the living room. "A…Shinobi?" repeated Mr. Fields slowly. "And what pray tell is that?"

"A ninja." Said Mika, in no uncertain terms. At this one word, her fathers face darkened and a scowl settled on it. "These ideas are from that show…Naruto. While I will not deny that you are adopted Mika, and you are…I will not have you believing that you are something that does not exist. From this moment on I prohibit you from watching…that particular show, as well as any other type of anime."

Mika leapt up in protest, abandoning the forehead protector on the couch as anger bubbled within her. Would this count as life threatening? she doubted it but she hoped what she was about to do would workbecause she really wanted to teach her dad a lesson about Naruto at this point. She brought her hands together in a single seal-"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" Instantly there was another Mika there…there were some slight defects because of her lack of training-for example her clone was paler than her (if that was possible) and rather translucent. But it was there.

Her father and mother stared in awe. Mika then proceeded to gesture for Kakashi to come out of the mirror and greet her parents. "Yo!" He said, two fingers saluting the elder Fields.

"For a long time I wished that something like this would happen to me and when it finally did…I wanted to wish for it to be taken away. But I can't. You wouldn't believe the amount of times, betweenFriday night and now,I've pinched myself to persuade myself I wasn't dreaming. It's real. And it's not going away, whether or not you accept it. This is something that…I don't need your approval for."

Her mother responded first. The woman walked across the room to where her daughter had abandoned the forehead protector. She stared at it for a second, tracing the pattern on the metal with her fingertip. She then walked over and handed it to her daughter. "If this is going to be part of your life…I can't necessarily say I commend it because…you're going to get hurt aren't you?" Mika nodded. "But I will accept it. Because it's you."

The two women looked at her father (Kakashi had sat down on the couch and pulled out an Itcha Itcha paradise book, not wanting to interrupt family time). Kevin (aka Mr. Fields) looked from his wife to his daughter and back again. "If the two women of my life are for something how can I be against it?" he said resigned. "Give me time. Eventually I'll accept this as part of your life."

Mika's face split into a grin as her father came over and wrapped his arms around his daughter and his wife. "Thank you both…for accepting."

Later on that night, when everyone was asleep, (except Gaara), Mika was awake and staring at the roof of her room. "I wonder if Kakashi will let me tell my friends about this."

A voice interrupted her musings "I doubt it. He's a big sticker for secrecy when it comes to something like this. But you will have to ask him." Mika glanced over at Gaara as he said this before rolling over to face the wall.

"I hope he changes his mind…I hope I can tell them..." she murmured before sleep claimed her. Her last coherent thought was 'Michelle will KILL me if I don't.'

A/N-Michelle is one of my 2 OC's that will be introduced next chapter. These three OC's (Mika included) will be paired with Gaara, Neji and Kakashi respectively. Reviewers, you may guess at who gets who…

JA-NE MINNA-SAN!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, Chapter 5-ForeverForsaken and Kagime and the owl. This shall be the chapter in which I introduce my OC's. At the end of the chapter I'll put the stats about the characters… READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto. I technically own my OC's but…I can't really say that because they're based on my friend's personalities…

Note-for nicknames-'Sey' is Seyann and 'Chelle' is Michelle.

Chapter 6

The next day, Mika went back to school. In the span of a single weekend so much had changed. But this much hadn't-her friends and what she did with them. She still walked to class with their friends, and when lunch rolled around she still sat in the staircase of the school with her friends…as she always had.

This constant offered her a little comfort in her rapidly changing life.

As she sat cross-legged with her friends-Michelle Sanchez on one side and Seyann Lenzi on the other side- she took a mement to consider just how much different the Mika that sat in between her friends was from the Mika who sat with her friends on Friday was. On Friday she had merely been a fan of Naruto…now she was a Kunoichi-in-training, the last carrier of a rare bloodline trait, a member of a world that wasn't supposed to exist (at least according to the rest of the world) and apparently being hunted by members of an organization that wasn't supposed to exist. The Akatsuki.

Well…her only consolation was that, on Friday she had been all these things, she just didn't know about it. Yet.

Her friends must've noticed that she had zoned out because she could feel herself being shaken. "Mika…are you ok? You seem distant." Asked Michelle, concerned. Mika waved a hand "I'm fine. I'm just a little distracted. Busy weekend…how was your dance recital Sey?"

She slid a glance at Seyann who started jabbering about her weekend, taking in her unchanged looks. Seyann had just beyond shoulder-length dirty blonde, pin-straight hair with reddish streaks and hazel eyes similar to Mika's but very different as well. Seyann's eyes ranged form greenish to brown instead of green-gold and Seyann's pupils didn't dilate as much as Mika's. It gave her an almost cat-like appearance. Her skin was almost flawless and it tanned beautifully.

Looking to her other side, she took in Michelle's looks, noting the lack of change in her other closest friend's visage as well. Her other friend had a dark complexion that had lightened considerably over the time Mika had known her-the black haired girl had pointed this out to Michelle when the three had been looking at pictures the previous weekend. Another thing Mika had noticed was that Michelle's curly brown hair had darkened to a shade that almost rivaled Mika's except it still highlighted brown every once in a while. Her eyes were black as an onyx stone-something Mika was jealous of.

She stopped scrutinizing her friend's looks and pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin against her knees. This…emotional swing made Sey stop talking and both girls look at Mika. "Hey Mika…are you okay?" asked Michelle concerned. This shook Mika out of her second space-out in less than 10 minutes and made her finally realize where she was. "Yeah 'chelle I'm fine…just a little tired." She smiled weakly and turned to Seyann. "Really. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Ok then…Didja see Naruto on Friday?" Asked Michelle. "Yes!" said Seyann excitedly. "He was cool as a cucumber during the flipping Chunnin exams! Of course you saw it Mika…he's your favorite character after all." Said Seyann slyly. This caused Mika to start to giggle and, as she processed what the girls were asking her, she broke out in side-splitting laughter. Seyann and Michelle looked at her as though she had lost her mind completely and utterly. Finally, with a sound somewhere between a snort and a chuckle…we'll call it a snuckle… Mika finally managed to quell her outrageous laughter.

"I'm sorry guys…it's just…" As she got her composure, she said "Yes, yes I saw that show. It…actually he was kind of creepy this episode…I mean that disembodied eye?" she shuddered involuntarily.

"But it was his third eye…and it's his…that should count for something." Mika rolled her eyes. "Creepy is creepy. Even if it is Gaara."

No one noticed the eye that was peering at them from between the plaster of the roof.

Gaara's third eye could only see, it couldn't hear. Therefore, over the years, he had trained himself to lip read. And he could see, only too well, what Mika had been saying about him. This was getting on his nerves. "My. Third. Eye. Is. Not. Creepy." He muttered to himself. This girl was arrogant and he didn't like it.

Mika gave an involuntary shudder and she gasped as she felt the bottle that had replaced the one broken on Saturday break in her pocket with a tremendous amount of force. This same force drove the sand and shards of glass ripping though her pocket and scoring her skin. The sand stung as it mingled with her blood. He was angry, she could tell. Instinctively she looked up-there was no other place that he could be. Her friends looked at her, concerned. "Mika are you sure you're ok?" said Sey concernedly.

Mika waved them off as the third eye glared at her, 'suggesting' she should go outside. She obligingly got to her feet and said "I'm sorry…I'll be right back."

She went outside, around the corner so that she would be out of the range of vision of her friends (so they wouldn't think she was too weird…) and after making sure that no one was around, she proceeded to yell at the top of her lungs "WHAT DO YOU WANT SABAKU?"

Some sand that still remained in her pocket flew out in front of her and, in the blink of an eye, multiplied into a ton of the tan stuff. This shot towards her wrists and effectively pinned her down to the brick behind her.

"Let. Go. Of. Me." She hissed as the sand tightened its grasp and began to cut. This, she was sure, wouldn't count as a life threatening situation because Gaara wouldn't kill her. Just torture her. He appeared before her, in a swirl of sand, a murderous look on his face.

"You were talking about me. Don't." He said angrily. "It was about the show. You were the one who delivered the message to me…that I can't tell anyone, least of all my friends that you guys exist. But I can't suddenly change my opinion on any of you either simply because I've met you. That would cause suspicion." His black-rimmed eyes narrowed and, for a second, Mika thought that she was getting though to him.

At least, he had to have figured out by now that he was her favorite character.

Instead he leaned in until his face was less than an inch away from hers. "If I catch you talking about me with anyone at all… it will not be pretty. And don't think you can keep it a secret from me." Mika scowled. "I can do whatever I want. You will never be able to stop me."

This caught Gaara off guard. No one had ever defied him before-they were too afraid of him. Clearly she wasn't. Because of this, he let her go and she turned to go back into the school rubbing her wrists.Vanishingin a swirl of sand, he went onto the roof,and began to process what she had said.

Firstly she had been so arrogant as to talk about him. But as he reflected on the way she had been talking…it hadn't really been disrespectful; she had merely been voicing her opinion. Grudgingly he allowed her a point.

Secondly, she had refused to be made a victim-being proactive and demanding that he let her go. And she defied him-she wasn't going to be told what to do. Ever. He smirked inwardly, keeping his emotionless façade on. He pitied the man who got landed with Mika as a wife. She'd be a handful.

And then there was this…thing. Changing her opinion about them, now that she's met them? Was she talking about him? If this was the case, what was her opinion of him before and what was it now?

He had so many questions but he was sure that she hated him now and she'd never answer them. This was when he noticed that she hadn't gone back inside but rather sat on the grass in the shade of a small tree. He knew she still had some sand on her so he eavesdropped on her conversation with herself.

Mika had always found talking out loud most relaxing. So this is what she did to unwind after that potentially fatal encounter. "I hope…he doesn't think that I hate him. My feelings that changed weren't about him…it was…Sasuke my feelings changed about."

At the mention of this name, Gaara's emotions ran high. Did that mean…she now…felt something, in that sense, for the Uchiha? This, for some reason, unsettled his emotions. Suddenly he felt…was that guilt?… for the wounds that were on her wrists.

Mika's monologue was interrupted when sand formed a body in front of her and Gaara stepped out. "What do you want?" she asked him in an exhausted voice. Wordlessly he handed her a bottle of salve. "It's made from an herb that is only found in Suna that has remarkable healing qualities." He said no more as he handed her the jar.

Shocked and more than a little confused, she took it from him. No sooner had it left his hand than he vanished in a trademark swirl of sand.

'This small respect I feel for her…could it be the beginning of…'

Mika walked back into the school to see her friends, the salve rubbed on her wrists. It was causing her relief already as she sat down, this time with Michelle in between her and Seyann. "Where did you go?" queried Sey "And what happened to your wrist?" she gasped as she caught sight of it.

Quickly hiding the scratches and cuts behind her back, she said "Oh I fell" before quickly changing the subject to discussing Sasuke and something he had done the previous week.

From his place in the rafters, he narrowed his eyes as he lip-read the words. 'Uchiha' he thought, dangerously.

A/N-Well there you have the sixth chapter. REVIEW! Oh and just so you, my readers, know-it's about the last week of April or so. In the story.

Here's the info on Michelle and Seyann.

**Michelle Sanchez**

Hair: Brown-Black, curly

Age: 18

Eyes: Black

Likes: Swimming, painting portraits of Anime characters, Martin Mystery, Naruto and sketching

Dislikes: Idiotic guys, Country Music, artists block, being hungry and getting up early.

Birthday: January 9th

**Seyann Lenzi**

Hair-Dirty blonde with red highlights, pin straight.

Age-17

Eyes-Hazel (sometimes green, sometimes brown.)

Likes- Dance, Naruto, destroying anything and everything pink, the color black, swimming,

Dislikes- Anything pink

Birthday-May 16th


	7. Chapter 7

A/N-OI! Paprika here with the next chapter of 'When Reality Becomes Blurred'. MANY thanks to Kagime and the Owl, Kiyiri Makrono, Emily-the-Elemental, and ForeverForsakenfor reviewing the last chapter…now…onto this chapter…. just a forewarning, near the end it gets a little violent. And I am remarkably sorry that I couldn't update before now. Something went wrong and I couldn't access the internet to update. Also, in the bottom A/N is something that fans of this story should read so...please read it. R&R

Disclaimer-I do not own Naruto or Dance Dance Revolution but I own my OC's…sorta.

Chapter 7

Metal glinted in the evening sun. The sound of air whistling as the razor sharp blades flew through it and… "CRAP!" a voice echoed loudly thought the back yard as shadows danced in the setting sun.

Mika leapt to one side as three shuriken went flying past her. The _fourth_ one that Mika hadn't seen him throw, sliced several strands of black hair off of the side of her head. She collapsed onto one knee, exhausted, as she glared at the thrower.

"Was adding that last one absolutely necessary? I can barely dodge three." She snapped, irritated. Her glare intensified as she looked at Kakashi. "Are you trying to kill me or something?" she said as she took a long drink out of a water bottle her mother had put out for her.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "I'm merely doing what any enemy Shinobi would do. I'm using your obvious weak spot. In other words your blind spot. Most Genin are trained, in the Academy to overcome their blind spot. You haven't had a chance to do that. So, I'm trying to do it now." Mika nodded in resignation. "Yeah I know that you had to be doing something along those lines. It's just hot for April 25th, that's all. My temper is getting the better of me."

"Ok. Then, if you're ready, we'll go again."

Mika went over and stood at a distance from Kakashi. As she tensed, his voice reached her, reminding her of what she should do. '_Foresee where it would land_.'In that way she could overcome her blind spot. As she watched him release the shuriken watched the way they flew and tried to predict where they would land. As the first one drew closer to her, she leapt backwards, just out of range and watched it land on the ground in front of her. She flipped back over the first one as the second hit the fencing with a dull 'thunk'. The third curved in from the right so she leapt to the left to avoid it.

The fourth caught her by surprise…again. This one didn't give her a hair cut…this one actually cut her arm. As she gasped and dropped to the ground in pain, Kakashi smiled beneath his mask and gently shook his head. Bringing her water over from the patio table where it sat, he handed it to her so she could drink and rinse her cut. "I think we'll call it a night for tonight." "Ok Kakashi-Sensei, I'll be in soon, give me five minitues."

When Kakashi got inside, he was met by a pink-haired Kunoichi who asked him where Mika was. Upon being directed into the back yard, she looked outside and saw Mika, with her arms wrapped around her knees and face buried in her arms. The way her black shimmering hair was shaking….

Sakura walked outside and squatted in front of her new friend. "Hey…Mika-Chan… what's wrong?" Mika looked up and wiped the tears off of her face. "Nothing…I'm fine." Sakura arched an eyebrow. "You're crying. Fine people do not cry." She came around and plopped down beside Mika.

"I guess…it's just….all so…Sakura I can't do this." Concern filled Sakura's emerald orbs. "Can't do what?" "This training. Becoming a Kunoichi. Trying to learn skills of a trait no one else has. It just hit me and… it's all too much. I can't…" At this point she couldn't hold it back and she began to sob again. Sakura stuck an arm around her and held her while she cried.

As she held the crying girl, she surveyed the yard. Numerous shuriken littered the small, enclosed space along with kunai and a couple senbon needles. This, accompanied by Mika's scratched arms and legs gave Sakura a pretty good idea of what kind of training the girl had been made to endure.

"Well I wouldn't look at it from this way. Weapons training is always the hardest. The only one it came natural to, really was TenTen. It took me over a week just to learn how to simply dodge a kunai…you've been in training for only three days and you can ably dodge a kunai as well as shuriken and the needles. except for your blind spot but…you're such a fast learner, agile and you're fast so…it shouldn't take to long for your blind spot to disappear completely."

Mika had stopped crying during this monologue. She chuckled when Sakura said that she was agile. "I think that that's because of DanceDance Revolution. Before I got the game I wasn't that fast or agile…but" she said as her tone grew sober "it's not just that. It's…this is going to be such a big part of my life. But my parents can't relate to it and my friends who would be able to are kept entirely in the dark about it. That and, as long as ninja keep coming after me like they did on Saturday, my friends and family are going to be put in danger. And I don't want that." She said, adding an "Ever" for emphasis.

The two sat there in silence, Mika's last words hanging in the air as a buffer until "Sakura…." "Yeah?" "Could I…if I wanted to…quit?" These words took Sakura by surprise. "Quit?" she said , as though it were a foreign word. "Yeah…quit. Not train anymore…not…have to deal with this pressure."

Sakura drew her own knees to her chest and rested her chin on them as she contemplated an answer. "Kakashi…. told us what to say if you ever asked this. Firstly, I must say this. You shouldn't doubt your abilities to protect those dear to you. When you doubt, that's when you put them in danger. Your abilities are already highly accelerated for someone with no formal training. Here's what he told us to say. You can, at any time, decide to forego the training and stop being a Kunoichi. We-that is Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, Gaara and myself, will vanish from your life and you will never see us again." Mika brightened up at this statement. "My life can return to normal."

"No, the life that you call 'Normal' is gone. For good. For whatever reason the members of the Akatsuki are pursuing you… and they will" Mika broke in "Gaara told you about what the ninja said?" "Yeah, on Monday, while you were at school. But that's not important right now. They will keep pursing you until they get whatever it is they are after. Or they kill you. And simply because we disappear…they won't stop. They'll be even happier that we aren't around to protect you or train you. And they will go through your family and friends to get to you. And you won't be able to do a thing because you aren't trained and cannot fight them off."

This stunned Mika. "So basically you're saying that if I were to stop, I'd put everyone I care about in even more danger because I can't protect them." Sakura nodded. "Great."

Sakura stood up to go back inside. "OH!" she said, as though remembering something important. She turned back around and bent over to whisper in Mika's ear in case someone else was listening. "And I happen to know that if you were to quit, a certain Shinobi of the Sand would lose all respect for you cause he hates quitters."

Color tinged Mika's face. "What are you talking about?" she managed to get out. "Oh come on Mika. I can smell the Salve of the Sand Aloe from here. He only uses that on himself whenever something manages to pierce his sand barrier. It's a very rare and expensive concoction. He wouldn't give you it if he didn't feel something for you." Sakura winked. "And lemmie guess how it went. He hurt you because he got ticked at you and regretted it so he gave you the lotion." "Weeelll…I'm not so sure about the regretting he hurt me…" Mika attempted to cover up but was stopped short by Sakura "Hun, you don't know him to well then. He's not built for regret but neither is he built to apologize. If he didn't truly regret what he did to you…" she eyeballed Mika's wrists, which still had slender cuts from the sand "Then he wouldn't have given the salve to you as an attempted apology." Mika turned a bright red and turned away.

"Think about what I said though…about making the choice to stop. It's not a decision to make lightly because once you do there's no going back." With that Sakura went inside and left Mika in the dark. The sun had set.

The next day, Thursday, in the staircase, Mika was almost as quiet and withdrawn as she had been on the Monday after finding out about the whole Kunoichi thing. She contemplated the choices. To continue would be an incredible opportunity. The once in a lifetime type thing. But all she had to do was say the word and her life would return to some semblance of 'normal'.

"Ok, what is it this time." Said Seyann in a drawling voice. "I have to make…a difficult decision. One that will affect the rest of my life. I mean…" she couldn't tell them that Naruto was real but…she could at least give them a bit of a lowdown. "I'm in training to do something. It's extremely hard and challenging but I'm learning how to protect. If I stop this training…my family, and…you guys…will be in extreme danger. But I'll have a normal life." She sighed and leaned back against the wall. "I don't know what do to."

Michelle wrapped an arm around her friends shoulder and Seyann lay a hand on her arm. "Well that explains where all these cuts are from." Said Sey, eyebrow arched, smirk on her face. Continuing in a serious voice, she said, "Whatever you decide…you know that we will support you and your family will too. We will take the necessary steps to protect ourselves and you."

Internally Mika was wondering how they could protect themselves from the likes of people who were in the Akatsuki, externally, she smiled and said "Thanks guys. Your support….it's something that I needed."

The two other girls smiled at her and then Sey, looking at her with hazel eyes (which today, looked as green as Sakura's) and asked "Now that that's settled…can you make me a shuriken? My other one got 'accidentally' thrown out when it landed in supper last night." The sharp reminder of her powers startled Mika, thinking that Sey meant for her to make her a metal shuriken. Only when she remembered that her friend didn't know anything about the Yourusashi clan, did she realize that Seyann meant the paper kind of shuriken. She laughed and pulled out two pieces of paper and folded the fake weapon….

All the while feeling the small compact case strapped to her leg, which contained the real ones, she was being trained to use.

Life was _really_ ironic sometimes.

The rest of the day she mulled over her decision. She had almost made it by the end of fifth and prepared to go home and tell Kakashi her decision. She hadn't made it easily but…it needed to be done.

That day when she got off of the bus at her house (she lived semi out in the country. She had one neighbor but that was it for a half a kilometer or so), she immediately knew something was up. The door to her next-door neighbor's house had been broken down. As soon as the bus pulled away, she reached into her shuriken holder and pulled out three. Dropping her bag in one fluid motion, she put chakra into her feet and ran towards the house.

Entering the house that had a design similar to her own, she crept into the kitchen where she heard the noises coming from. She didn't have a sand bottle with her…she hadn't replaced the one that had exploded on Monday. As she approached the kitchen and peered around the corner she was met with an awful sight.

Her young neighbor, a 6-year-old named Mercy who had brown hair and big brown eyes, was being held tightly by a member of the Akatsuki-the trademark slash though the headband was a dead giveaway. Two others were in the kitchen. One was asking the questions, while the third held Mercy's mother, Violet in a vice grip-by the neck.

Seeing her friends treated in such a manner enraged Mika beyond no end. She heard the question that was being put to Violet. "Where is she? Where is the Yourusashi?" "I don't know anyone by that name…" managed Violet. Her daughter was staring at her with wide, terror-filled eyes, screaming when the ninja hit her mother on the head, causing her to collapse onto the ground.

Mika couldn't take it anymore. She raised the shuriken to her face and prepared to throw at the one holding Mercy. Before she leapt out however, she said sharply "Mercy close your eyes right now." She threw the shuriken at the ninja, as Mercy closed her eyes tightly-just in time-as the shuriken sliced the neck of the ninja holding her.

Mercy couldn't see anything but she felt something warm on her face and the person holding her went loose and slumped over. As this happened, she could hear Mika yelling at her "Mercy go to my house…go in and tell them that Mika is in trouble. Someone will come."

She didn't need to be told twice. She was out of the door in a flash, gone to next door, leaving Mika to face 3 Akatsuki members. Alone.

Mercy ran without stopping into the Field's house, sobbing. "Please…." She gasped, sinking to her knees. "Help…" she looked up the hall. She couldn't hear anyone…she thought the house was empty. Then she remembered what Mika had told her to yell.

"Please…Mika's in trouble, she needs help…" No sooner were these words out of her mouth when a cloud of sand followed by a silver puff appeared in front of her. As both cleared, she could see three other people running up the hall behind them. The sand cleared to reveal a scary looking red-head with black covered eyes and a tattoo on his forehead while the silver smoke cleared to a silver-haired man with one black eye and one red eye. "Where is she?" asked the redhead in a deadly voice.

Mika stood before the remaining two nins, tensed for battle. Before she could move, however, a shuriken and kunai were embedded in her leg, causing her to collapse. Her eyes widened. So this was what Sakura meant. _'You're untrained…you can't do anything…' _

She _hated_ this feeling of helplessness.

"So you're the Yourusashi. I wonder…" the nin who appeared to be the leader walked forward and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her painfully to her feet. "Why he wants you. Oh well. I only listen to him." He smirked. "I wonder if he'll let us have fun with you first…. after all… you're nothing but the bait…."

He was abruptly cut off however, when a cloud of sand engulfed him. As she turned around she saw Gaara standing in the door, rage in his eyes. Just behind him stood Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi. Sasuke pulled out a windmill Shuriken without a word and sent it flying at the other ninja, following behind it with Naruto on his heels.

Very unceremoniously, as she watched, the two ninja were dispatched-one when Gaara closed his fist tightly, creating the Desert Funeral, the other dispatched when the Shuriken cut off his leg, immobilizing him and he faced the Rasengan.

Through all this, Kakashi and Sakura had made it over to the wounded Mika where Sakura went to work and-once again-healed the girl.

"It was horrible." Managed Mika. "What was?" said Sakura absently as she worked. "It was like you told me. They were in danger…and I couldn't do anything. I got Mercy out…but I couldn't help Violet." She glanced at the woman who was sprawled on the ground.

"I'll do it. I refuse to give up. Never again will I ever be this helpless in the face of my enemy." Kakashi smiled and looked like he was about to say something until a cold voice spoke up. "Good. Smart girl."

She looked up and met Gaara's eyes. Sakura nudged her Sakura, as a blush came to her cheeks.

Sasuke, meanwhile, looked back and forth between the two (Mika and Gaara), a plan formulating in his head.

A/N-sits back and admires handiwork this is officially, the longest chapter…actually the longest anything I've every written. If anyone really wants to know what Sasuke's planning…well you'll just have to wait for that won't you? smirks. Anyways, that thing I mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. While I was unable to access the internet or the computer for that matter, I got an idea. I had already written a one-shot that accompanied this story and was going to publish it when the spot came along that it went with. However I got several more remarkably good ideas for various one-shots to accompany this story which lead me to the idea to create a separate area for them-a series of one shots that accompany this story. My problem is that, although I have a tenative title for this series of one shots, it's not that good. If any of you can come up with a good title that will go with the title of the story, 'When Reality Becomes Blurred' i'd appreciate it.

Also, if any of you think that there is a missing conversation in the story, or an incident mentioned in passing that was never put into 'When Reality Becomes Blurred' that you would like to read a one-shot about, by all means, you can request it andI will try to come up with something. Or, if you, the reader, have a good idea about one you can write it and I will add it to the series. (takes deep breath) Wow that was a mouthfull.

That being said **REVIEW!**

Oh and if you haven't seen the movie 'The Lake House' go see it. It's amazing.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N-Thanks to those who have, thus far, reviewed chapter 7-Kagime and the Owl as well as Emily-The-Elemental...please forgive the evil cliffie last time...i don't do that...often...(evil Smirk). I decided to update soon because of my lack of updating for a week:) READ AND REVIEW.

Chapter 8

The little head of curly brown hair jerked up when she heard the front door open and close. "Mercy! Are you in here?" called a voice. Relief flooded Mercy's small body as she called "Mika….I'm in here…is…MOMMY!" At that moment Mika had come around the corner, supported by Kakashi and Sasuke respectively, one of her arms around each of their necks. She was healed but still very weak from blood loss. Catching sight of Mercy, she smiled gently. Naruto stood beside them, Violet in his arms. Mercy raced over and stared at her still unconscious mother, a look of horror on her face.

"Don't worry Mercy, she'll be fine." Slowly Kakashi and Sasuke lowered her into a chair. "Are…you okay Mika?" asked Mercy in a quiet voice. "I'll be fine. Just a little weak and kind of tired."

She was too distracted by Mercy to notice that Sasuke had kept a hand on her shoulder. She might not have noticed but Gaara and Sakura did. The expression on Gaara's face was one of faint fury while Sakura looked confused-and a little hurt.

At that moment, her mother decided to come home from work. As she walked through the front door and caught sight of the ninjas in the kitchen-one of them cradling her next door neighbor in his arms-she knew something was up. "Vi…is she ok Naruto?" "Don't worry. Sakura looked at her and she'll be fine." Mika's mother rounded the corner and saw her daughter sitting in a chair, looking utterly exhausted, two freshly healed scars on her legs.

"Mika…What's wrong, are you ok?" Asked her mother, the panic in the woman's voice rising with every syllable. "Yeah…I'm fine. Just….lost a little blood. A little rest and I'll be fine." "But you're not cut…"

"Sakura healed me. I got a kunai and a shuriken to the leg so…" Her mother sighed. "I knew that when you accepted this you would get hurt…I just never figured how much you could get hurt. I'm just glad you're okay this time."

Mika got up unsteadily from where she was sitting. While her mother had been checking her over for cuts and injuries, Violet had awoken and Naruto had set her back on her feet. As she went over to her neighbors she contemplated what to say. "Listen…Violet, Mercy, what you saw here…with everyone…" she gestured around the kitchen "And myself fighting…it's a huge secret. You can't tell anyone 'kay?" The two nodded in assent.

Mika smiled. "Then, Mercy, once I get some of my strength back, I'll show you some tricks ok?" Mercy nodded her head happily-she was fascinated with anything that would involve magic or tricks.

Mercy then gestured for Mika to bend over. The Kunoichi did so, reaching out a hand for something to steady herself by while she did and her hand connected with a calloused one-the hand of Uchiha Sasuke which she discovered when she glanced back to give a grateful smile to the Shinobi. Jade and emerald eyes alike both flashed at this contact and at the small smile Sasuke was giving to Mika. Gaara however was better at keeping his mask on-Sakura's hurt was visible. But no one noticed. Besides, Gaara felt more like throttling the Uchiha than hurt. But…he couldn't help reflecting…why did he feel this way…. this jealousy?

Mercy whispered something in Mika's ear, causing her to burst out into side splitting laughter. Both of the girls looked over at the Sand Shinobi and Mika managed to get out "You're right Mercy. He does." His eyes narrowed at her, his anger becoming more visible. Anger at the fact that she was talking about him…after he had old her not to…and at the fact that her hand was still attached to Sasuke's.

Mika leaned over again as Mercy whispered something else into her ear. "Why does the Panda look so angry?" Mika did a double take and looked back over at Gaara. Mercy didn't miss a thing. The fury behind his eyes was unmistakable.

"Is it because you are holding that other guy's hand right now?" At this innocent statement, Mika realized that she was still holding Sasuke's hand for support. She subtly looked at Gaara and realized that, indeed, he was glaring daggers at Sasuke, every once in a while his eyes traveling down to where their hands were connected. "I think that's probably it Mercy." "Do you like the one that looks like the panda?"

This made Mika pause. Did she have feelings for Gaara? As she gave herself an evaluation, she discovered that she did. She had feelings for…_him_. While it was something she had wanted, when she watched the show…now it was completely different. It was then she developed a plan, to test him and how he felt about her.

Gaara, on his own, would never approach her…even if he did feel something for her. He would be too afraid of rejection. But, if she did something to maybe provoke jealousy, he would….

Okay so maybe she was reaching. And maybe he would be furious if he ever found out. But it was worth a shot. Turning back to Mercy, she whispered, "No Mercy, what would give you an idea like that?" She shook her head violently to emphasize her point. Even though she did, no one could know-or her plan was right out the window. To help her further her emphasis she stood up quickly, letting go of Sasuke's hand in the process. She had however, underestimated the blood loss and its effect on her. Even as she stood, she found herself unsteady and she started to fall backwards.

She could sense Sasuke reaching out to grab her…that would be perfect, it would provoke his jealousy but before she could blink or Sasuke could get to her…

A cloud of sand got there first. It acted as a wall and supported her so she didn't fall backwards.

"I got her." Came the anger-tinged voice from the other side of the kitchen. He glared at Sasuke, a cold threat in his eyes. Sasuke met it with one glare of his own. This went on for a minute or so, until Mrs. Fields, in an effort to break the tension, invited Violet and Mercy into the living room to chat. Mercy wanted to stay until Violet picked her up and carried her into the other room, not wanting her to stay in the tension filled room.

Mika picked herself up off of the sand and leaned against the wall for support. The sand retracted into the gourd and, as he corked it, he moved to come over and take the exhausted girl up to her room. She beat him to the punch. Reaching for the Uchiha, she took a hold of his arm and said, "Will you take me upstairs Sasuke? I need to get some…"

Even as she said this, the last of her strength gave out and she collapsed into Sasuke's arms. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her up the stairs, jade eyes and emerald eyes staring after him. Gaara glared at them as Sasuke walked up the stairs, growling under his breath. Sakura slid a glance over to him and muttered, "I know how you feel."

Sasuke gently set Mika down in the middle of her bed, stirring her out of her unconscious state. "Thanks…Sasuke-kun…" she said sleepily. "You gotta stop getting yourself in situations like this. I mean, Saturday, and now today…you'll get hurt even worse than you have." Mika rolled her eyes. "It's not as if I'm begging the Akatsuki to come after me. And if I hadn't gone in, Vi and Mercy would've gotten hurt or even died." "I see. Well, rest up. I'll see you in the morning." "Sasuke, it's three o'clock in the afternoon. I'll probably wake up sometime before tomorrow. But I'm glad tomorrow is a Half Day. No School. In the afternoon at least." Grinning, Sasuke pulled the covers up to her chin and kissed her on the forehead. "See you later then." Ignoring the blush on her cheeks, he closed the blind, shut off the light and walked out of the room.

Sasuke was in the hall for all of three seconds when he was accosted by a pink-haired Kunoichi who was steamed at him. In her eyes was a mixture of anger, hurt, and betrayal. "What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "None of your business Sakura."

"LIKE HECK IT ISN'!" she yelled, startling him. "Shhh…you'll wake her up…" he hissed, clamping a hand over her mouth and dragging her into the bathroom. "Sasuke we've been together for this long…I can't believe you would do this to me." He rolled his obsidian eyes. "I can't believe you have that little faith in me. You honestly think I would actually cheat on you?" "If the shoe fits…" she retorted.

"You've seen the way Gaara looked at her. He even gave her the Salve of the Sand Aloe. But unless someone spurs him into action, he won't even consider pursuing her. A little push and he will." His face and anger softened. "You know I wouldn't do that to you Saku-chan." He said softly as he leaned in to kiss her gently.

Gaara appeared in Mika's room, in a swirl of sand. He liked the darkness in the room but the sunlight that made it though the blinds was shining on her face and making her look beautiful.

She was still awake. And very aware of his presence in her room. So she thought of something to provoke him. She stretched in bed and rolled over, so that she was facing him. Snuggling deeper into her pillow, she muttered-as she was known to do in her sleep (mutter that is)-"Stay with me…Sasuke…"

The sand exploded through the room silently as an outlet for his rage. He couldn't believe it. The first girl he had thought about in this way-and she was smitten with the Uchiha. He vanished amidst the exploding sand and made his way to the roof.

As he sat there he looked at the sun, which was creeping its way to the west. Judging by the position, he thought it as about 4 P.M or so. 'I feel this way about her…and she's in love with someone else. The Uchiha'. '**_He doesn't deserve her…._**' Gaara was caught off guard when Shukaku decided to put in his two cents. '**_You should know what Kyuubi told me last time you and Naruto let him and I talk.'_**

As Shukaku gave him this valuable information, a smirk grew on Gaara's face. The Uchiha would have what Gaara was going to give him coming. And he would enjoy every minute of it.

A/N-There you have it…just so you know….you'll find out next chapter what Shukaku knows that he told Gaara;) I'm the queen of cliffies, I swear (my friends gave me that…distinctive title.) I'm in the middle of typing out the first one-shot and it should be in place soon. The title of the series of One-shots is going to be 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'. I NEED ANOTHER TITLE...HELP

REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 8-Kagime and the Owl and Emily-The-Elemental. Also thanks to Emily-The-Elemental who reviewed the first one-shot in 'Pieces of an Alternate Reality', a story called Kekki Genkai. Which is posted, for fans of this story who would like to read it. It's about Mika having a conversation with her father and finding out exactly why he's having such a hard time accepting the fact that she has a bloodline trait. Anyways, R&R as is custom

Disclaimer-I don't own...own Mika.

Chapter 9

Mika dragged her eyes open. The sun penetrated through the closed blinds, blinding her but driving the restfulness from her eyes. She rolled her head over so she could see her clock and noted that it was around 6 o'clock PM on Thursday-the same day she had saved Violet and Mercy. Just beyond that, leaning against her closet, she could see Sasuke. Even as she looked at him, she got an odd gritty taste in her mouth.

Sitting up, she rubbed the last bit of sleep away from her eyes. But that's not all she rubbed away. As she steadied herself against the mattress with her hand, she looked around the room and realized just what that odd taste was. Her room was filled with sand. Tones and tones of sand. Over everything. A spark of anger began to smolder in her gut. Sasuke hastily raised a hand to keep her from yelling and causing a scene. "Mika…"

While his efforts were admirable, it didn't work, as her temper (which didn't explode very often) came to a boiling point. "GAARA! GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE!" She yelled furiously.

Some of the sand that was scattered on her dresser, bed, bedside table and the like lifted up and sped into the center of the room until enough accumulated so that it could fall away and a certain red-haired tattooed Shinobi stood in the middle of the room, facing a furious Kunoichi. His back was to the closet so he hadn't seen Sasuke….yet. "What." He said in an icy tone.

"Gaara. Clean. Up. This. Mess. If you're going to lose your temper…DON'T DO IT IN MY ROOM!" She said, temper growing with each syllable. He seemed distracted though and not inclined to listen to her angry words. Her eyes widened as she remembered that Gaara was excellent at sensing chakra patterns. He made one small move, to glance behind him. His eyes hardened the instant he saw the Uchiha. Turning around to face her again, this stoic ninja just stared at her, making no move to clean up the mess around the room. Hazel eyes narrowed and she said, in a warning voice "Gaara…"

What she didn't know was in the time he was just staring at her he was fighting to control his temper. Upon hearing her voice, still very aware of the ninja behind him, his anger exploded.

The sand in the room rushed off of whatever it was on-every last grain. Her room looked a lot cleaner. However…all of that sand rushed Sasuke with a tremendous amount of force. Gaara's eyes never left Mika's as the sand gathered Sasuke in the Desert coffin and whisked the two of them out of her room, the breeze from the sand disturbing her hair.

She didn't, while it was happening, have time to scream. She did this now, in abundance.

As she did this, three ninja appeared before her. "Sakura…Kakashi…Naruto." She said, tears starting to make their way to her eyes. Sakura sat down and rubbed her back. "Calm down. What's wrong.". Mika's eyes were widened as she looked at them. "He has him. He has him." "Who has who?" "Gaara…has Sasuke." A pin being dropped could've been heard in that room.

"What's going on?" "Sasuke was watching me sleep." Sakura sucked in her breath softly, thinking _'Is he suicidal?_' but Mika didn't notice any of this."Gaara must've lost his temper in my room about something…can't think about what though-but my room was covered in sand." The truth was, she knew why he was losing his temper. It was her fault. She shouldn't have tried to toy with him.

"I called for him to come and clean it. When he came, he saw Sasuke and he lost it even more…the sand gathered around Sasuke…and they were gone. And I screamed."

As soon as she was finished talking, Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi were gone, looking for Gaara and Sasuke. Mika got up and, closing her eyes, searched for their chakra. She found them-the back porch.

She made her way down there, passing her mother who was in the middle of cooking dinner. "Ignore us mom. We have a little…drama going on right now." She walked through the kitchen door that lead out into the back yard.

She decided, as she walked past the barbeque that she didn't want anyone to see her, rather, she wanted to hear the conversation that was going on at that moment.

"Gaara…." Said Kakashi in a serious voice. From the sound of his voice it sounded like he was extremely close to unsheathing a kunai and aiming it at Gaara. "Let him go." Mika could hear Sasuke grunting in pain. Sakura added her pleas to Kakashi's. "Shut up you stupid girl. Do you not know what he's doing to you? Or are you just to glad to have him that you don't care?" When he said 'care' Sakura was launched via sand into Mika's line of vision. She crashed into the fence and slumped to the ground. "SAKURA!" yelled Sasuke, through the pain. "I want to kill you Uchiha. So I suggest you stop fueling that anger. Shut up. You're leading her on." "Why do you care Sabaku?" She heard Gaara growl at this.

Mika clasped a hand over her mouth. What? It seemed she was not the only one who was pulling off a plan against Gaara. But what wasSasuke'sreasoning for doing it? And Sasuke was right…she wanted to hear Gaara answer that-why did he care in the first place?

"Why is none of your business Uchiha. But I want you to, before everyone here today, to admit the truth. Shukaku told me-he got his information from Kyuubi-that you are actually in love with someone else. Therefore tell everyone what you are doing to Yourusashi. Do that and I'll let you go."

"Fine." Came Sasuke's voice. "I don't care about Mika as anything more than a teammate. I love, with all my heart, my girlfriend, Sakura." Sakura sat up from where she had been thrown and smiled softly at Sasuke.

Mika's heart was in her throat. She felt like crying but no tears would come because of the anger simmering in her gut. First off, she was angry at what a bastard Sasuke for leading her on while he had a girlfriend. Her sadness and some of her anger was, however, directed at herself.

What had she done, and what must Sakura think of her now?

She heard something drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes and a hissing sound. That must be Gaara dropping Sasuke and the sand retuning to the gourd. She picked up her other hand and muffled a sob.

This movement and, even the muffled sound, must've been what attracted Sakura's attention. She looked over and she saw Mika on the ground, hands covering her mouth, bangs covering her eyes. The pink-haired Kunoichi's heart went out to the girl. She must've heard every word.

Almost as if she sensed Sakura's eyes on her, she looked up. Hazel clashed with emerald. Before Sakura could blink however, Mika was gone into the kitchen and back up to her room. After telling Sasuke that she would be right back, Sakura put chakra into her feet and followed the black haired Kunoichi.

She found Mika sprawled across her bed, sobbing into the pillow. Walking slowly across the darkening room, she sat on the edge of the bed and lay a hand on the distraught girl's back.

Mika was, to say the least, caught off-guard by this. She whirled around and, upon seeing Sakura she flushed and looked away. "Mika-chan…" Said Sakura softly. Mika tried to get further away from Sakura, still unable to look at her. "Why…are you here. How can you be so friendly with me after I…." She couldn't even say it. "After you what?"

Mika's face flushed once again as she whispered "After I threw myself at your boyfriend." Sakura smiled sadly. "You didn't know. How could've you? We were trying to keep it as secret as possible. And plus, didn't you hear? He was doing it on purpose. And for the reason it was for, I don't mind. I know he loves me."

"Why though? What was that reason? I have a guess but…" "Why do you think?" "It had something to do with Gaara. He would only ever act like that when Gaara was around." Sakura lowered her head in a nod. "Technically, the reasoning's not mine to give to you but…I think that since you figured it out I can tell you. He was trying to drive Gaara to acknowledge his feelings for you."

Mika gave a little semi snort. "Not that it worked that well. I think, personally, Gaara got Sasuke to confess because…he likes me miserable. In any case…someone who can sense chakra like he can…would've known I was there. Right? If he didn't want to see me hurt he would've not drove Sasuke to confess.

"I don't think he likes seeing you in misery Mika. May I remind you of the whole Salve of the Sand Aloe thing?" Mika smiled at this. "Maybe you're right Sakura."

Mika shook her head and chuckled. This was exactly like one of the soap opera's her mother watched sometimes. Drawing her knees up to her chest she rested her chin on her arms, which encircled her knees.

"You know…I was doing the thing with Sasuke to make someone jealous as well?" Said Mika randomly.

"Who were you trying to make jealous?" Questioned Sakura…but she thought she already knew the answer.

Mika raised her head at this point and looked over. "See that's the thing. It worked…I think. But just talking to you now…made me realize that, while my plan worked, _we_ could never work…I need someone who is not afraid to tell me he loves me when I really need it. _He_ could never do that…he _can_ love, I know it but it takes him to long to figure it out. And I can't deal with that. If he loves me, I want him to act on it, not be unsure of his feelings."

Mika smiled somewhat bitterly. "You remember, today when Mercy whispered to me?" Sakura nodded. "She told me that Gaara looks like a panda." Sakura muffled laughter. "But she was right…about what she said after…"

"I like the one who looks like a panda. No…not just like…"

"I'm in _love _with Gaara."

A/N-There you go...:) read and review...and read Pieces of an Alternate Reality. Just so my reviewers know... I have Chapter 10 typed out...(smirks evily) so if you want to read it tonight...REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N-Thanks to those who have reviewed chapter 9 thus fair-Gin-Inu, Gaara's Desert Rose and Kagime and the Owl. This chapter was one of my favorites to write...fluff...but i'll let you read. No spoiling...hehehe...

Disclaimer-You don't really think I own it do you?

Chapter 10

Though this news came as no surprise to Sakura, she still saw how distraught Mika was about the fact that she loved him. With this in mind, the pink haired Kunoichi held her friend as the black haired one struggled to get her emotions under control. After Mika's shoulders stopped shaking with sobs, Sakura left her for the backyard to make sure that no blood had been shed over the discrepancy.

Before she had left, however, Mika had asked Sakura to ensure that no one- especially Gaara-came up to the room to see her. "None except you…but it's just I especially don't want him to see me crying. It's a weakness and…." Sakura held up a hand "No need to explain, I know what you meant. I felt the same way about Sasuke when we were younger." That being said, the medic nin left for the back yard.

She came upon a tableau identical to when she had left. Gaara was corking his gourd and Sasuke brushing sand off of his shirt, Naruto and Kakashi standing off to the side, guarded. As soon as Sasuke saw Sakura, he abandoned his chore of brushing the sand, and went over to where she had come out. "Are you ok Saku-chan? You weren't hurt when he threw you?" he asked gently, wrapping his arms around her.. "Yeah…I'm fine." Her temper, however, got the better of her and she turned on Gaara and attacked him-verbally of course. She wasn't stupid. "I'm fine…but _she's_ not." She said venomously.

"She's hurting. You're such an impeccable person at detecting chakra patters…couldn't you sense hers? She was around the corner when you were attacking Sasuke. She heard every word. And if you were trying to make it so she wouldn't get hurt by exposing him….you failed.…you _failed_. Jerk. She's in a lot of pain right here." Sakura pointed to her heart. "But don't you dare go near her. Don't even dare."

Gaara's eyes were wide with shock. What had he done….his rage…_must've_…blinded his chakra reading abilities or else he never would've done something like that when she was around….he didn't want to hurt her…as he felt for one of the first times in his life, remorse spread through his body. As this emotion took over his body, the sand took over and surrounded him.

When the sand cleared and he was gone, it was all Sakura could do to keep from growling like an animal-"He better not have followed her…" she said in a warning voice. It was all he could do to keep her from running up to Mika's room to check on her. Sasuke flinched-this was one of the few times that he felt afraid of his girlfriend. "Relax love. If he does it will fix things between them.

Mika's face was buried in her pillow, head shaking with sobs. Why did fate have to make her fall in love with someone she could never be with-someone who technically wasn't supposed to exist…someone she can't introduce to her friends or the rest of her family…life stank.

She heard the door to her room creak open. She was glad her dad hadn't fixed it, or else she wouldn't know someone was entering. Without bothering to look at who it was she just yelled, "If you're anyone but Sakura…please just go away…" When she didn't sense whoever it was leave, Mika surmised that it was Sakura. The person sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered the crying girl into their arms. Mika welcomed this and buried her head into the shirt of the person holding her. Finally letting lose, the tears came in torrents.

"It hurts. I'm in love with him but it will never work…and it hurts…" She sobbed into the person's shirtfront. Even as she said these things, the arms around her tightened slightly. Finally after about five minutes, her sobs finally abated and she pulled back, tears glimmering in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you…Sakura…" she hiccupped as she looked up.

Her heart caught in her throat. She stopped breathing…

As she met a pair of intense jade almond shaped, black-rimmed eyes.

Just as quickly as her breathing had stopped it started again and she violently twisted herself out of Gaara's arms. She turned away so he wouldn't be able to see the color that was swiftly rising in her cheeks. His hand, however, remained firmly on her arm.

"I could kill Uchiha for even thinking about doing what he did for you…if you'd like." He said stoically, the hidden threat beneath his words very real. She hastened to say "No, no that's fine…I…I'm over that…I was when you forced him to confess in front of everyone." He couldn't tell if she was lying or not.

Her skin tingled under the touch of his hand.

"Then why are you crying. It's the Uchiha…don't deny it…stop lying to me. It's because you love him but he's with Sakura so you can't be with him…I swear I'll kill him." When she didn't answer him or even look at him, he said, in a slightly less patient, more forceful voice, squeezing softly for emphasis "Why are you crying."

Instead of answering his question, she changed the subject. "Listen, can you just pretend that you never saw me crying?" His eyes narrowed. "Why would I do that."

'Does he really not understand?' she wondered.

"Why?" she said, incredulously. "Because…" she started to snap before she shut up. "Because…" she said softer. Closing her eyes tightly, she yanked her arm out from his grasp. Standing up and turning her back on him she said "Because crying is a weakness…emotions are a weakness… and I don't want to appear any weaker in your eyes than I already am!" she said violently, her voice rising with every syllable.

He couldn't move.

"You're wrong Gaara. I don't…I never did…love Sasuke. There's someone else…someone I want to give my whole heart to but I'm not sure how he'll react to me…so I can't. But I want to." She was no longer in control of her mouth…she couldn't control what she was saying.

"Who is it." A statement…a demand. Not a question. '**Tell us so I can kill him and get him out of our way.'** _'Shut up Shukaku.'_

Was he really that dense? She really had no alternative now. She sensed him stand up behind her. Gathering up courage for what she was going to do, she turned around abruptly. He had been in the process of reaching out a hand for her. Taking it and moving it swiftly out of the way, she leaned in so that she was only a few inches from his face. "You really want to know who it is I love?" When he didn't say no, she leaned in and closed the small gap between them.

And pressed her lips against his own.

His eyes widened almost to an impossible width. Running a free hand through his red hair, to the back of his neck, she kissed him hard before pulling back, out of his reach. Avoiding his eyes, she answered his question. "I'm in love with _you_."

She turned quickly on her heal and started to make her way out of the room. Her hand was on the doorknob of the bedroom when a tendril of sand coiled around her wrist. Gently-no abrasions.

He could hear Sakura coming up the stairs to check on Mika. He had to do this fast. "Don't leave." He had been caught off guard by the kiss but…he had come to his senses now. He commanded the sand to drag her gently towards him.

"You've never been weak in my eyes." He said. "From that first day when you stood up to the members of the Akatsuki to save you coworkers. Saving Violet and Mercy today."

Closer… "Standing up to me…" Closer still. "Telling me you love me…"

Sakura's footsteps came up the hall. The sand released her wrist but had left her…three inches away from him. The fact that he was that close…she was in his strong aura…she wouldn't have been able to move away…

_If_ she wanted to.

"After all that how could I possibly think you weak? I...I don't mind a few tears." He said roughly before kissing her.

"Well what do you know, Sasuke, your plan worked." Whispered Sakura from her place-peering into Mika's room, through the crack. "What can I say…oh I know." Sakura rolled her eyes. "You know I hate it when you do this…" He smirked and said, "I told you so…" before kissing her firmly.

Mika went down for supper in a daze (for, if you will remember, it's still the Thursday, where Mika saved Mercy and Violet.). When her mother asked what the problem was, Mika just shook her head and smiled. Looking at her father, her mother smiled and said, "It's a guy."

Later that night, at around 11 o'clock, Mika was sitting in her room, Gaara with her, chattering away happily about mindless things when he leaned over and kissed her again. He had been doing that frequently all night but still caught the black haired girl off-guard each time. When he pulled away this time she smiled and said, "I really gotta get used to this." before yawning sleepily.

Gaara picked her up bridal style and set her on the bed gently, pulling her duvet cover over her body. Kissing her forehead this time, she fell asleep almost immediately with a smile on her face.

When she woke the next morning to her alarm clock, she sat up and rubbed an eye. She saw someone leaning against her closet and looked over to see Gaara. He had a look in his eye like he'd been thinking, but just the sight of him was enough to send shivers down her spine and she smiled happily. She stretched and said in a cheerful voice "Good morning…" she smirked before saying "Gaa-Kun."

Gotta love nicknames.

He scowled at this, however and snapped in a cold voice "Don't call me that." She smirked at his resistance and, getting up, walked across the room to give him a kiss.

He was like stone in her arms. "What are you doing?" "What…do you mean? Last night…"

He interrupted her. "Meant nothing. It was a mistake, don't talk about it any more."

As her eyes filled with tears-tears he could see-his heart broke, but he still turned and walked out on her.

And with that, _her_ heart broke as well.

A/N- yes, I know. There is a major missing thing there…what caused Gaara to change his opinion so quickly? I wonder…(hehehehehe, evil smirk)…

Just so you guys know, the reason that Gaara changed his mind, IS going to be a one-shot under 'Pieces of a Altered Reality.' Just so you know. There is a logical reason why Gaara was such an Ass to Mika.

Read and Review.

To all Canadians who read this story HAPPY CANADA DAY!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N-A big thank you to all who reviewed Chapter 10, in no particular order-Kagime and the Owl, Emily-the-Elemental and Tiffanylicis. Yes, Gaara was an ASSHOLE last chapter but well…read. And Review. The review is important.

Disclaimer-I don't own.

Chapter 11

She sat on the school bus that, every day carted her to the place she called school.

A little piece of her was gone. Like…it had just shriveled up and blown away-she had absolutely no say in the matter.

She stared at the dull gray seat back in front of her and absently traced the patterns on it, thinking about other things. Namely a certain Sand ninja. Her eyes welled up with tears at the mere thought of him. One traced its way down her pale cheek. She furiously wiped it away as she replayed the scene that had occurred moments before she left.

FLASHBACK

She stood in her room, Gaara standing in front of her, his back facing her. "How….how could you do this to me? If last night truly meant nothing to you…if you're just leading me on…" she looked down and said softly but icily "Then you're no better than Uchiha."

He whirled on her and brought his face mere inches from her own. How she wished he would close the gap separating them and call what he had just done to her a joke. Instead he said in a sharp, cold voice "Shut up Yourusashi." He had called her by her clan name…

What did that mean?

He continued in that cold voice "Just forget it ever happened. It was…" he paused briefly then continued "A mistake. It was a mistake." He backed away from her and, once again, turned his back on her. Tossing something over his shoulder, he said (his normal stoic voice returning) "Don't forget to take this with you. Use it if something happens." The vial of sand landed neatly in her hand. She slipped it into her left pocket.

Turning around, she faced the door, a tear running down each cheek. As she left the room, Gaara sprinkled a little sand on the back of the sweater she was wearing. Maybe he hadn't known her that long but he figured he knew enough to know this-if she was angry, she would never summon him to help her.

Stubborn girl.

And that's something he loved about her.

END FLASHBACK

The first two classes of the day were a blur. If a teacher had asked her to recall anything-anything at all that had been said, she would've only stared blankly at said teacher, too depressed to do anything else. Fortunately the teachers noticed her somewhat lessened emotional state and, for the most part left her alone.

Then came lunch. The pain was still white hot and hurting like a deep wound.

She was the first one to the stairwell, where she waited for Seyann and Michelle. Her friends had gone down to the cafeteria for food, which left her alone to think. On a day like this, that was never a good thing. By the time her friends got there, she had sunk back into a crying state.

Sey and Chelle were shaken, to say the least. Mika hadn't even cried when she had broken two fingers at the beginning of the year. To see their normally strong friend crying like a baby unnerved them and they were quick to set down their food and go flank Mika, full of questions.

"I'll…explain." Mika hiccupped. "I've fallen in love with this guy…He told me he loved me last night but…when I talked to him this morning…something had changed." She buried her face in her arms so that only her glossy black hair showed. "He told me that telling me he loved me was a mistake." She said in a voice that was remarkably akin to a whisper.

Her two friends wrapped their arms in comfort around the girl as she continued sobbing, but it was Seyann who eventually noticed. "Hey Mika…you know you have sand all over your back…want me to brush it off?" When Mika nodded, she continued "What happened?" Quickly Mika made up an excuse-"A bottle of sand I have from Florida…it broke this morning over this sweater…I must not have gotten it all off."

The sadness that Mika felt melted away faster than a melting ice cream cone in the hot sun. Instead it was replaced by anger. _'How dare he try to keep tabs on me.'_

Black rimmed eyes widened.

He couldn't sense her. And then, a message came through loud and clear. _"Leave me alone Gaara. I have the sand vial, I don't need to be constantly monitored."_

She allowed the last sand connecting her to him sift through her fingers, cutting him off from her…_freedom_. She turned to her friends and began chatting with them, attempting to ease her mind after a hard evening and morning.

A second. One measly second. This was all the time she was given to sense something abnormal before a thick smoke-like mist descended on the bottom of the staircase. '_Not here…don't attack me where my friends are…please anywhere but here.'_

Seyann noticed the mist, however, before she could get them out of there. Standing up, she leaned over the railing and looked down at the bottom floor out of curiosity. "What's going on?" she said lazily.

"Sey…MOVE!" Mika leapt up from her spot the same instant she yelled the warning and tacked Seyann to the ground, away from the railing…as a loud 'Thunk' resounded in the stairway, causing everyone to look at the ceiling. Right where Seyann's head had been positioned…a kunai stuck out of the stucco.

Michelle sucked in her breath. "A kunai…?" she breathed. Getting up from her position on the floor, Mika whipped her hand into a pocket and pulled out a paper shuriken. Focusing her bloodline trait chakra on it, she turned it into a metal shuriken. She put it into her mouth delicately and preformed three hand seals. Ram. Snake. Tiger.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" she yelled. A week of training with Kakashi had paid off. Or maybe it was just because she was driven to protect her friends. Whatever the case, her chakra control was perfect. As were her shadow clones (2). Putting chakra into her feet to help herself balance, she leapt onto the railing.

Meanwhile, Michelle and Seyann were both staring at her. If Mika didn't know better, she would've said that their eyebrows were twitching in perfect unison.

"Ah…I'll explain when I'm done here." That being said, Mika whipped out a kunai from the holster beneath her pants and hurled it straight for the center of the mist. Her two clones leapt down and joined the fray. As soon as her kunai pierced the mist, however, it dissipated, leaving a tall pale ninja with back hair in the middle. He took care of her clones no problem. She leapt down to the level that was in between the two flights of stairs and waited for the nin to join her there.

When he did the first thing he said was "They were right." This caught Mika off guard. "What do you mean?" She queried. "Some members were spying on you when you saved your neighbors last night. And they were right. You fight a lot better when you're defending your friends." At the word 'member' Mika checked his forehead protector. It had the mist village symbol on it but the metal had a neat slash through it.

Akatsuki.

The black haired ninja turned his gazes to her two friends sitting at the top of the stairs. "So… it's one of you…" he muttered to himself, paying no attention to Mika-which was ticking said Kunoichi off. "Leave my friends alone. The fight is between us." The ninja turned back to her.

"If you heard that I'm such a fierce protector of my friends, then why attack me…where my friends are? You had to have known I'd want your life." Mika said, hazel eyes flashing. "Yes, about that. The ninja that we sent on recon in that area also noticed something…odd. Sabaku no Gaara…" the very name affected her, she couldn't contain a gasp. "Was kissing a black-haired girl last night. You are the only black-haired girl in that house. The same spies then noticed, this morning, that the same Sabaku no Gaara and the same black-haired girl…you…were in a fight."

"What's that got to do with anything." "Well…that got me thinking. You fight fierce when you're protecting your friends…but can you fight with a broken heart?"

Mika had heard enough. She hurled the shuriken she held in her hand straight at him. He dodged it easily and pulling out a kunai, aimed for Mika's blind spot. She couldn't dodge it easily enough and got a slight hair cut.

"You see…because your heart is broken…your reflexes aren't back up to speed. Kakashi should've taught you how to not feel. Otherwise you wouldn't be fighting so poorly right now. Observe this _demonstration _if you will, of your lack of speed." Before Mika could blink, a clone appeared behind her and, giving her a sharp kick in the back, sent her flying into the handrail. Her left side smashed into the wall, and she coughed, a little blood coming up. The clone vanished. "You didn't even sense that."

Sand filtered out of her pocket mingled with shards of glass and beads of blood from where the glass had cut her leg.

"So…why are your reflexes so slow? The reason for the fight this morning…was it because he doesn't love you? Or you realized that he can't love?" asked the Akatsuki member lazily, almost as if he were bored at how easy this fight was. "Shut. Up." Came the poisonous voice of the Yourusashi.

Sand exploded into the small alcove at the bottom of the stairs. As it cleared, a figure with piercing jade eyes could be made out.

"I beg your pardon?" Mika struggled to her feet from where she had been thrown. "I said shut up. I never want to hear those words again." Mika faced the enemy, standing proudly like…a ninja. "He can love-I know he can. I mean look, he loved his uncle before the betrayal didn't he?"

Eyes widened. They were talking about him.

"I guess…" she said continuing softly. "My problem is…" she stared the mist Akatsuki right in the eye. "My problem is that HE DOESN'T LOVE ME!" She yelled, yelling the only ways she had the courage to say as she did. "That's why I'm having problems fighting…I'm hurting."

"You have such faith in him." Said the ninja in a surprised voice. The sound of metal could be heard and the Mika cried out in pain.

The other ninja had been toying with her before now. Moving so fast that no one noticed him move, he had taken out a kunai and thrown it at Mika. Now with a weapon embedded in her leg, she couldn't move and she fell where she was. Walking up to her, the enemy nin took her by the hair and hoisted her to her feet.. "Too bad he's never going to see you alive again." He raised a kunai above his head and, amidst Michelle's and Seyann's screams; he said "Die."

His killing actions were interrupted a voice that said in a deadly calm but threatening (in an 'You're a dead man' kind of way) "Get your filthy hands off of her. DESERT FUNERAL!"

As the ninja's grasp on her hair loosened, she was allowed one glance at Gaara's livid face as he clenched his fist…before she succumbed to darkness when she hit her head.

A/N-I lied. The one-shot will come out after chapter 12. But it will come out. Oh and the hand seal pattern in this one-shot is actually the hand seal pattern for Kage Bunshin.

REVIEW!

Cool t-shirt I saw today-I know I'm not perfect…but I am Canadian. (close enough)


	12. Chapter 12

A/N-Thanks to Emily-The-Elemental, Tiffanylicis and 'Kat' for reviewing Chapter 11. To Kat-I'm sorry for making you cry (sweatdrop)...I made my friend who doesn't cry about anything cry over that chapter when it was first written...sorry about that! With this posting, there will be a new one-shot in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'. _Just so you know_. R&R

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 12

In retrospect, when she looked back, she had only been knocked unconscious for about a minute or so. For, when she woke up…the member from Akatsuki was still held tightly within the Desert Coffin-being squished to death. The person was still only inches away from her and she struggled, wincing from her wound, away from him.

Abruptly, however, the screams stopped and silence rang in the stairwell. The body was dropped from the Desert Coffin, very unceremoniously, to the ground, several feet away from Mika. He was obviously dead.

Mika, however, wasn't paying any attention to him. Her thoughts and her eyes were trained at the bottom of the stairs. There was only one place where that much sand and…that possessive voice that sent shivers down her spine…could've come from.

_Gaara_. He was standing at the bottom of the stairwell looking up at the ninja's body, almost to avoid her eyes.

"Why are you here?" She wasn't one to beat around the bush so she wasn't going to do that now. "For some reason the vial broke. I sensed blood, I came. If I hadn't you'd be dead. Be grateful Yourusashi." '_Clan name again…does he really want to distance himself from the that much?'_ She quickly checked the vial that was supposed to be in her pocket, only to find shards of glass and several grains. The rest was on the ground where she had been thrown into the wall.

Ignoring, if only for now, the presence at the bottom of the stairs, she called up the stairs, to her friends. "Hey Michelle, can you toss down the scroll you will find in my backpack?" Michelle, almost robotically, searched through Mika's bag until she found a scroll that looked, mysteriously enough, like something out of Naruto. She brought it down to her friend who was in the middle of extracting the knife from her leg.

"There's only one way to do this…." Gasping in pain, Mika wrenched the knife out, causing Seyann (who was still upstairs and had a deep hatred of seeing blood) to yelp in shock. As soon as the kunai was out, Mika took the scroll from Michelle and, opening it up, began to heal her leg. "Sakura taught me some basic healing jutsu's. She said I have an affinity for getting hurt." Mika said, fake laughing, trying to ease the tension that existed now with her friends and herself.

Michelle didn't join in her laughter and, instead asked her friend, eyes on the Shinobi at the bottom of the stairs. When she finally managed to wrench her eyes away from Gaara, it was to bend over and whisper into Mika's ear. "The person that did that to you…told you that loving you was a mistake…was Gaara? _The_ Sabaku no Gaara?" in a disbelieving voice.

The wound on her leg fully healed, she sighed and turned to her friend. "Listen, 'Chelle, I'll explain everything. I promise. Just…let me take care of something first. Go back upstairs and wait with Sey. Scream if something out of the ordinary happens."

After ensuring that Michelle returned upstairs, Mika turned and faced downstairs-and the person with whom she had to take care of something with. Walking down the stairs she didn't say a word until she was face to face with him. "How dare you come. After what you did to me." A statement. Not a question. "I answered that already. I sensed blood. So I came." He turned his jade eyes on her and, for a split second, Mika was sure she saw hurt in them.

"But why…." Unable to take the look in his eyes anymore, she looked over to the side and, evaluating what she had said to the enemy nin. Her eyes widened when she realized just what she had said in the heat of the moment and muttered, "How much did you hear?"

He placed a gentle hand on her chin and slowly, but firmly, rotated her head so that she faced him. Leaning down so that his face was inches from hers, he said in such a voice, that it sounded like he'd never been so sure of anything in his life. "Mika, I never said I didn't love you." Her eyes widened as they became fixed on his jade orbs.

"Then…why?" her voice broke. "Why would you do something like that…why would you…" 'Hurt me' was what Mika was going to say but she soon forgot about it when she felt his lips on hers. In fact, it was hard to think about anything with his lips on hers. Her arms went around his neck before she could stop herself, while he kissed her fiercely before backing up to their former distance of 3 inches, arms tight around her.

"I…had an argument with Shukaku last night. That foolish raccoon convinced me that if I stayed with you, enemies of mine, people who don't want me in Suna, would come after you to get to me. But then, this morning, you were…in so much pain when I said what I said. Pain to the point where you were struggling to defend yourself…I realized that hurting you the way I did only made you weaker. It put you in the danger that I had tried to get you out of." He pulled her closer and rested his head on top of hers-she could feel his chest vibrate as he spoke. "Please, please forgive me."

Mika pulled back-something extremely hard to do- to look in his eyes. She noted dryly that through this speech, he had remained characteristically stoic, but she somehow sensed that his words were true-how he felt was true. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. As she did this, she almost felt like...he was purring.

Suddenly a scream pierced the stairwell.

In an instant, Mika had a kunai out and was racing to the top of the stairs, Gaara right behind her. Michelle was sitting there, as was Seyann, and they watched the two come up. "What is it. Are you guys ok?" Said Mika in a panic. "You said scream if we saw something out of the ordinary….does the fact that we saw you kissing Gaara of the Desert count?" said Seyann with a smirk.

Mika gave her friend a hit over the head and walked over to Gaara, face upturned for a kiss. Breaking away, she said in an exasperated voice "No it doesn't. You guys scared me." Gaara leaned over and said in her ear "I can erase their memories now…" Mika looked over her shoulder and said, "No…I have a hunch…about them. But I'm not sure. I have to see Kakashi first and ask him about something." Gaara nodded. Mika continued "Just…so they don't think that the poutine they got from the Cafeteria was bad, get everyone to come here…and tell them to arrive in style." Gaara nodded once and was gone.

With that all said, the Kunoichi sat down with her friends and said, "So…what were we talking about before." The incredulous look that her friends gave her was only outdone by the incredulous look she herself had given the Shinobi of Konoha when she first found out that it was all real.

"What. Just. Happened. Mika." Said Seyann seriously. "Oh that? That was a fight with a Akatsuki member. Didn't I tell you?" Mika laughed nervously. "I found out last Friday that I'm a Kunoichi. I'm actually the last carrier of a very rare bloodline trait that wasn't mentioned on the show-the Yourusashi. I can turn anything into a metal weapon." She reached into her bag and pulled out a pen. Focusing her power, she turned it into a senbon needle.

"Wow." Was all Michelle could say. Seyann couldn't even say anything. It was during this silence that Mika sensed a tweak in the chakra levels of the stairwell. She stood up and leaned against the wall and said "Bring it on guys."

The first thing that happened was a windmill shuriken came up the staircase, flying at top speed. Just before it hit the brick wall with a dull 'thunk' smoke appeared and, with a poof, Naruto popped out of the shadow of the shuriken-as he had done in one of the fights with Zabuza and Haku- and he gave the thumbs up. He then leaned against the wall and waited.

Cherry blossoms began to randomly blow in the staircase. Enough of them swirling around finally formed a body and they fell away, revealing Sakura smiling sweetly. "A little something I perfected." She said.

Sasuke…. didn't really do anything. He just walked through the door and leaned against the wall, trademark Uchiha smirk on his face. Wait…trademark Sasuke grin on his face.

Sand flew in in a cloud and shaped Gaara's body in the corner leaning against the wall next to Naruto.

Finally, with a poof of silver smoke, the (appropriately enough) silver haired Jounin appeared, his eye closed, a smile obvious underneath his mask. Mika pushed herself off of the wall and, pulling a paper shuriken out of her pocket, she transformed it and went over to the other one, where everyone was.

It was like this-against one wall sat a shell-shocked Seyann and Michelle, staring at the opposite wall. At said opposite wall, stood 4 Shinobi and 2 Kunoichi. In the back, stood Kakashi, Gaara, Sasuke and Naruto with Sakura and Mika kneeling in the front.

Raising one hand, Kakashi smiled beneath his mask and said in a calm, cheerful voice, "Yo!"

A/N-Yeah…Here's Chapter 12. You'll find out exactly why Mika didn't want Gaara to erase the memories of her friends will be in the next chapter…but until them…I shall allow your minds to wander…and wander and wander.:) I'm evil.

But yeah….REVIEW!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N-Thanks to Duckichan87 and Kyiri Makrono for reviewing Chapter 12...to the rest of you (ie, the 10 give or take who have me on your alerts but don't review) why aren't you reviewing? ah well. I write this cuz I want to, not for praise. Praise is just an extra bit. R&R

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto. I own Mika, Seyann and Michelle. I also own Mika's bloodline trait, the Yourusashi bloodline.

Chapter 13

As Mika looked at her friends sitting on the floor, staring wide-eyed at the group in front of them…she couldn't help but wonder if this was too much too fast…

To say that they were shocked would be a massive understatement.

Kakashi slid his eye over to Mika. "Are…they okay?" Mika rolled her eyes. "I must say…I thought they would react to shock differently." Mika walked over, out of formation to go wave a hand in front of her friends faces. "Umm…ladies, are you in there? Hellooooooooo…Sey, Chelle…are you in there?"

This seemed to bring them out of their daze. "Mika…did I become delusional or something? Because…I'm looking at the other side of the hall and…and, I mean, if I didn't know any better I'd say squad 7 plus Gaara…are there. Like there…right there…" Michelle pointed a shaking hand at the group on the opposite wall.

"No…you guys didn't get a bad batch of poutine. Believe me…my first reaction was kinda similar to the one you guys had. I know…. thinking that this is real is kinda farfetched. But…. hey! We always said 'What if' didn't we? Well now…no more what ifs, it's actually real." Seyann tapped Mika's hand and the Kunoichi obligingly bent over so that Mika could whisper into her ear. "So…Kakashi's real?" Mika smirked, knowing of Seyann's huge crush on the Jounin. "Yes Sey, he's real. And I think that he's waiting for you guys to get off your butts and go over to say hi. So get going." Mika yanked Seyann to her feet and gave her a gentle shove towards the ninja.

Before Michelle could go over however, Mika stopped her and whispered in her ear "Please don't go for Gaara." The black-haired Kunoichi almost sounded like she was begging. She knew of her friends monster crush on the sand nin and didn't want to cause a disharmony between them over a guy-something they had sworn not to do. "Relax Mika…you got there first. And plus…I talk big but I don't think, in real life, I could go for someone that possessive and unstable. But you're such a equally strong personality-you suit each other." That being said, her other friend went over to meet everyone.

Once he had met her two friends, Kakashi had come straight over to Mika and began to talk to her in undertones. "You were right to not let Gaara erase their memories. I don't know what tipped you off but I checked and they both have very minimal chakra levels. Now, this small level could mean that they have not that much chakra-which means they could become a taijutsu specialist like Lee or it could mean their chakra's have been sealed. From what I could sense, however, it seems your friend, that Michelle girl, has an Uchiha chakra coming from her. Seyann…" he paused on the name, hesitating. Mika couldn't read the hesitation; she had no time before she continued. "I believe I sensed a faint Haruno chakra coming from her." Kakashi paused to gauge Mika's reaction. "They will be thrilled. Can I tell them?" Kakashi nodded and moved so Mika could go across to her friends. "Sey, 'Chelle, can I talk to you downstairs? Sakura and Sasuke, you come too." The four she had summoned followed her obligingly down the stairs. Seyann glanced back more than once at the Jounin who waited on the top floor. Mika caught her doing this once and nudged Sakura and sent a glance at Michelle to make sure she got the message too.

Setting those two up would be so easy it would be borderline boring.

But that would have to wait.

Mika sat down on the ground and rested an arm on her knee. Black hair cascaded over her face as she debated how to say this. "Michelle…Seyann…" her hazel eyed friend interrupted her. "Hey Mika, if this is about keeping this a secret, you know we both will. If it means we can know that something like this exists…we'll both keep quiet." Seyann nudged Michelle. "Right Michelle?" Her friend seemed to snap out of the daze she was in to say "Oh yeah…we won't tell a soul."

"Well it is important that you don't tell anyone-except your parents, they can know. But there's something else." She paused and looked at her friends as well as the ninja. "You'd all better sit down." They obliged and looked at Mika intently. "The reason I didn't let Gaara erase your memories right after the fight was because of something the Akatsuki member said. I needed Kakashi to confirm it- I think there are 2 reasons I didn't sense it before. For one, it was in such minute traces that it would've been impossible for me to sense without further training. For another…I've been around you for too long, I grew…shall we say accustomed? To sensing it." Looking over at Sasuke and Sakura, she said, "Read their chakra levels. And see if anything surprises you."

Both ninja obliged and it was Sasuke who realized it first. "You mean she's…so I'm not the last…other than my brother." Sakura realized it a moment later by saying "OH! We found you…finally."

Mika's friends still weren't catching on so Mika had to clue them in herself. "Chelle…Sey, you both have sealed chakra. And you are both members of clans down here."

Mika looked up. "Chelle… you're an Uchiha. Half, at least…Seyann, you're a Haruno." This hit her friends like a tone of bricks. "I'm glad I'm sitting down." Muttered Michelle. "So…I have a Sharingan?" Asked Michelle. "Yeah…I can sort of sense you're chakra but it's sealed. Come outside with me and I'll unseal it."

Michelle got up and followed her cousin outside to unleash her powers. Seyann meanwhile turned to Sakura and asked "What do you mean 'We found you?' And what's so great about being a half-Haruno." Sakura's eyes darkened at that statement before grounding out "What I mean when 'We found you' was that a cousin of mine went missing about 15 years ago, when we were both two. We never found out what happened about her. Her traits…well, she was only half-Haruno. In order to have the true Haruno trait-which would involve her having something like what I have…an inner persona- she would need pink hair. However, since this isn't the case…"

"For which I'm very thankful." Interrupted Seyann clearly relieved that this wasn't the case.

Mika laughed before gesturing that Sakura should continue. "Anyways…from what I could remember, this cousin whose name I don't recall, her eyes turned colors with her emotions." "That's it?" Said Seyann in disbelief. Mika patted her friends back. "At least you won't be able to hide your emotions from us now Sey." She said, smirking.

"There's something I don't get…when the Akatsuki was here, he looked up at the place where Michelle and Seyann were sitting and he said 'so…it's one of you'… what did he mean, do you know?" Mika could've sworn for just a minute that Sakura looked a little guilty but the next second it was gone and she was answering "I don't know…that's kinda weird that he would say that…maybe he could sense their chakra." Her eyes widened. "Wait you said Akatsuki right? Well last time we got info on them, Itachi had overthrown the leader and is now the leader of Akatsuki… it may be that he found out about Michelle and was looking for her." Mika considered this and said, "It makes sense." Their conversation was interrupted when a cry of victory was heard outside and their black-eyed friend burst into the stairwell, Sasuke behind her, smirk on his face.

But their friends eyes weren't. Black that is. Mika was taken aback. When she found out her friend was a half-Uchiha she knew he would have the Sharingan…

But actually _seeing_ the girl with blood red eyes-well that was another matter altogether.

As Gaara came downstairs, having grown impatient of waiting and took her hand, Mika couldn't help but thinking that life was about to get _very_ interesting.

A/N-TAADAA! I'm contemplating a one-shot to accompany this chapter-the part where Sasuke unseals Michelle's chakra and her Sharingan. I'll have to think it over and think about the wording. I know this chapter was kinda short…really not much more to put into it…next one will be longer…promise. Until next time…

REVIEW!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N-THIS STORY MADE 40 REVIEWS! I know that's not much to sneeze at but it's the most this poor little writer has ever gotten on a story. But yeah...thanks to Kyiri Makrono, Emily-the-Elemental, Duckichan87 and Yargy the Pirate Queen for reviewing Chapter 13. And here, ladies and gentlemen, here is your chapter 14

Disclaimer-I don't own

Chapter 14

Kakashi was eager to start Seyann and Michelle's training as soon as he could. He knew that there wasn't much theory that he had to teach them because they watched the show.

On Friday night the first thing that occurred was Sakura unsealed Seyann's chakra. Kakashi had tried but apparently only family could do that. Sakura had been forced to try a variety of unsealing jutsu, each more complicated than the last before Seyann's chakra was completely released. "Man…they sure used a heavy seal on you Sey…could it be…" Seyann gave Mika a warning glance effectively shutting the girl up.

"What?" asked Sakura, amused while she was recovering her strength. "Well Sey is calm…unless someone ticks her off. Then she has a tenancy to lose it and kinda go bi-polar. So we have a joke that she's got a little demon inside of her…Just an inside joke."

_That look again!_ For she was sure, absolutely now, that Sakura was looking guilty about something…but it was gone the next second… 'I'll have to ask her about that later…' thought Mika.

This all said and done, Kakashi began to train, Mika helping him. The first thing that he taught them was focusing chakra. What he told them to do was to focus the chakra onto their feet and then try to walk up the brick of Mika's house. After Michelle accidentally chipped a brick with too much chakra, they decided to use a tree that was behind the Fields house…well actually they didn't decide, Mika's mom decided for them. "I like my house." Was all she said.

Within an hour, or so, it became obvious that Michelle was, indeed an Uchiha. She had picked up on chakra focusing so fast that she was moving on past focusing her chakra and Sasuke was already teaching her simple Jutsus. He seemed to have taken to his last living relative-that he acknowledged as family.

Seyann meanwhile could barely get half a food up the tree. Finally Mika made the suggestion and Kakashi stopped training Seyann in chakra control and instead decided to work on weapons. Mika had a hunch and she wanted to test it.

Without warning, the Yourusashi transformed a shuriken and hurled it at her friend. Kakashi opened his eye wide with shock. Seyann, for her part, tensed…and leapt out of the way like it was second nature-on her first try. Mika kept transforming and throwing them continually until it became clear she had to rest.

Seyann had dodged every single one.

"I thought so. Seyann, you've always been very capable of dodging things that I've thrown at you jokingly and you're very flexible and agile. Probably because of dance class." Mika turned to Kakashi and grinned broadly. "Check her blind spot but I don't think you'll have the problem you had with me-she should be able to dodge whatever you see fit to throw at her." Mika smiled at her friend. "She's one of the fastest people I know."

"That's a little consolation. But just speed doesn't make you a good ninja. Michelle's not going to need it. But you will. It's a good thing you and Michelle are sleeping over tonight…because you are going to get up early tomorrow and do some extra chakra training."

Seyann's eyebrow twitched. "Umm…Kakashi? You would've done better to ask me to tell her that…. she's very fond of sleeping in in the mornings, particularly on Saturdays. Hang on; I'll snap her out of the trance. Go away for like…. 5 minutes." Kakashi obliged and Mika dragged Seyann onto the patio. ""Seyann Lenzi. You are not going to turn down a chance to get up and spend extra…_alone_ time. With _Hatake Kakashi_. ARE YOU?" she hissed.

This brought the half-Haruno to her senses and she mutely shook her head. "Good." Mika spoke up enough to attract everyone's attention. "Everyone…I think the Pizza's ready. Let's go in and eat." That being said, the three friends, Squad 7, their Sensei and Gaara came into the house to eat. The ones from Konoha and Suna had never had pizza before so this was a new experience for them.

The girls were exhausted from training so they went to bed before 11. But not before watching Naruto. It actually wasn't as fun as when they had watched it before the whole Naruto thing. The main reason was…it's not as fun to watch the show…when the real thing is watching it with you.

Kakashi was in the girls room at 8 AM the next morning. It was a little task but he managed to get her out of bed and down to the back patio. The first thing he taught her was a simple transformation jutsu-the kind that the kids in the Academy learn. She had a hard time even getting the hand seals right.

'It's not that I don't know the hand seals, or I can't do them but…' Seyann's cheeks unconsciously flushed as she became increasingly aware of Kakashi's proximity to her 'It's because I can't concentrate with him so close to me.'

Almost as if he sensed that his presence was spooking her, he said "I'll leave you to practice those hand seals then. Yell if you need help." With a silver poof he was gone.

The three girls clustered around Mika's window, watching the interactions between the Jounin and the girl, all in agreement that they would make a fine couple. The pink haired one preforemd a seal and they were transported to behind a large bush, beside where the girl was practicing her hand seals.

Seyann practiced the seals again and again. Not putting any chakra into it, just practicing. There was one…ox…she couldn't quite get it right.

Finally, out of sheer frustration (her anger was almost at a breaking point) she walked off of the patio and slammed her fist into the ground. She was caught off guard when she created a small hole with her fist.

"Well you sure aren't suffering from the problem you were last night." Observed a voice dryly. Seyann leapt into the air and whirled around. Behind her stood Kakashi, Itcha Itcha paradise book in one hand. He could tell she was angry because her eyes were an orange... and her facial expression. He could also see her temper spike at the novel but noticed how she managed to keep cool. "Yeah…probably because I'm angry. I can't get this stupid ox."

Kakashi tucked his book away and stepped up behind her. Taking her hands gently in his, he formed hand seals with hers. "There…now." he did the hand seals again with her hands, saying "Focus chakra and think of the person you most want to transform into. The person you're thinking about when you transform will be the person you become." Seyann did as he said and focused the chakra but when she transformed…

Kakashi was staring back at a perfect version of himself.

Trying to keep the shock and blush at the fact she was thinking about her, off his cheeks, he said, "Well, now you know you can do it…keep trying." She 'poofed' back and…they were standing remarkably close. Kakashi swallowed and said "Well…I'll leave you to it…" that being said he vanished.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me. He's that close to her and he doesn't make a move?" hissed Mika, ticked off. "Relax…we'll rectify that. By the time we're done here…let's just say he'll be asking her for a date by Monday." Replied Sakura. "Everyone ready? OK…let's go…" Three consecutive 'poofs' were heard.

Seyann was practicing the seals when, suddenly, in front of her three ninja appeared. All three had slashes along their forehead protectors. One had short black hair and hazel eyes with darkly tanned skin while the other two looked like twins with shoulder length spiky blonde hair. The only difference was that one set of eyes looked like sapphires and the others looked like amethyst.

"Is it this one?" "Yeah…according to Itachi…it's her." "Let's get her." Seyann couldn't think of anything to do other than…scream. Yellow appeared in her eyes as she did-fear.

Kakashi was there in a second, in front of her, ready to protect her. "He didn't say the copy nin was protecting her." Said the black haired one, annoyed. "Let's get outta here. I value my life."

As soon as the ninja were gone, Kakashi turned around and put his hands on Seyann's arms. "Are you okay Sey?" he asked, adopting Mika's nickname for her without a blink of an eye. "Yeah…fine…just a little scared." Unconsciously she leaned into the Jounin vest and he responded by wrapping his arms around her. It was an almost unconscious gesture. When she realized what exactly had happened she tried to pull away, the color in her cheeks and eyes a light, slightly embarrassed, pink. But he wouldn't let her go and continued to hold her. Eventually she accepted the embrace and leaned into his strong arms.

In the bushes, 3 Kunoichi were giving each other high fives. "Like I said, dating by Monday."

Aside from the matchmaking schemes of the girls, the weekend passed by rather uneventfully-mostly just training. Then, on Sunday night Tsunade called Kakashi to an emergency meeting. When he came back, his countenance was less than happy.

"She found out about the fact that the Akatsuki are coming after you girls. She…told me to tell you three this. You three have to make the choice. Are you going to stay here or come back to Konoha? She doesn't want to leave the portals open anymore, it's endangering too many people." The girls gasped and looked at each other and back at Kakashi. He looked at them steadily and said:

"You have a week to decide."

A/N-DUH DUH DUH... don't worry. There's like 5 chapters between now and when they leave. Review!

Oh! for those of you who care I have Posted the next one-shot in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'

Later


	15. Chapter 15

A/N-Thanks to Kyiri Makrono, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Duckichan87, Emily-the-Elemental as well as ...DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU... (who is an Anon reviewer.) I really don't have much to say today...Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 15

Seyann Lenzi lay on her bed, just thinking. It was the day after Kakashi had told everyone about the final decision that had to be made by the following Sunday. It was Monday now, and the clock read 8 AM. Even thought, normally she'd be in school- because it was a weekday-this week was a sporting event in their city and they got the week off of school…. Figures.

Two envelopes sat on Seyann's dresser and it was these she stared at us with such intensity. One contained a slip of paper that said 'Yes' and one that said 'No', along with her reasoning for such.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't have a reason to go-she would make a pathetic Kunoichi. The only reason she might go would be to be with Kakashi, the person she was falling in love with. Even if he hadn't quite asked her out yet.

Her family was here. Unless something drastic happened that changed her mind…she would not go to Naruto world.

Consulting with her friends would help, however, it had been a silent agreement, once Kakashi had left them alone, that talking about what they were going to decide was something that simply wouldn't be done.

The decisions would be something that they made on their own.

All of this unpleasant business aside, Mika, Sakura and Michelle were all pleased with how well the paring of Seyann and Kakashi were going. On Saturday and Sunday Kakashi and Seyann got along beautifully. They were encouraged by numerous foreign nin (namely the two blondes and the black-haired ones) and were continually thrown together as a result-more often than none quite literally.

Seyann, none the wiser about all of this, got up at around 9 o'clock after drifting in and out of consciousness for about an hour. As she was standing in the kitchen, wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a spaghetti strapped t-shirt, making her breakfast, she heard a poof behind her. Silver smoke billowed around her, making her cough as she leaned over and grabbed a kitchen knife out of the drawer. Turning around she threw it at random. She had had some weapon throwing training but since she couldn't see through the silver smoke, she couldn't be sure of it hitting her target.

And then the smoke cleared and…Kakashi was standing there.

Seyann yelped and threw the closest thing at him, yelling "HENTAI!" The wooden cutting board bumped off of his head "What's…that for?" He asked puzzled.

"It's early in the morning on a day I don't have to go to school. I'm not wearing much…WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WAS FOR?" She said, semi angry. In reality, she felt like blushing at the fact that _he_ was seeing her dressed so skimpy but she couldn't lose her annoyed façade.

Eyes don't lie, however, and Kakashi could easily tell she was embarrassed because her eyes were a light orangey-pink.

However, respectful of the fact that she wasn't wearing much, he obliged her and turned around so that he couldn't see her. Inside, he was going 'Aww crap. And she looked so good too…' Outwardly, however, he cleared his throat and said "I know that you guys have this week off of school…and, as such, I was wondering if you wanted to…go out to brunch. Today. With me."

Dead silence. "Umm…Seyann?" "Oh...sorry…yeah…yes. Yes, I'd love to." Said Seyann breathlessly. "Ok, I'll be back to pick you up at around…how does 10:30 sound?" "It sounds just fine. I'll see you then." Even though she sounded excited, her voice when she said that carried a warning. 'In other words-leave. So I can get something decent on.'

Kakashi obliged her and left Seyann standing in the middle of her kitchen, frozen.

A knock on the door disrupted her out of her revere. She walked to the door and opened it to three Kunoichi-Mika, Michelle and Sakura. "So…what did you say?" Seyann narrowed her eyes. "You knew he was going to ask me?" "Of course we did." Said Michelle rather matter-of-factly before continuing, "You said yes right?" Seyann looked at her friends, as if seeing them for the first time "What do you think I am, stupid? Of course I did." Her eyes became a silver color (they had discovered what the various colors meant over the weekend as Seyann's mood changed-silver was happy).

"Ladies…I have a date with Hatake Kakashi…" Seyann said slowly.

"And we have an hour and 15 minutes to get ready. Sakura, Michelle, shall we get too it?" asked Mika. The two other girls nodded and they each grabbed one of Seyann's elbows and dragged her back into the house. "I CAN WALK YOU KNOW!" She said, annoyed.

An hour and 14 minutes later, Seyann had been primped within an inch of her life. Her hair had been pinned up in a simple but elegant up-do that somehow managed to stay in place, despite Seyann's protests that nothing held her pin-straight up which explained why it was usually down or in a loose pony. Sakura's secret? She employed a little bit of her chakra to make the strands sticky.

Michelle had taken care of the wardrobe selection and as such had selected a simple brown corduroy skirt with a pine green stripe on the bottom, that hugged her friends figure until about the knees where it flared, out coupled with apine green polo. For shoes, a pair of green flip flops completed the ensemble.

This left make-up to Mika. After applying some light foundation to her friend's flawless face, she raised her hands up…and made the hand-seal Ox. Immediately, Seyann felt something go on her eyelids and her lips. "It took me all night to perfect this jutsu last night but it's worth it…I'll teach it to you sometime. I created it specifically with you in mind…the eye and lip colors are designed to change according to your eye color so that they complement each other. That way, there's no worrying about how your eyes look or requiring to keep your emotions in check-it's all taken care of."

Seyann smiled gratefully at her friends as she looked in the mirror. She looked stunning. Upon hearing the doorbell ring, she took a nervous breath of anticipation in and walked down to meet her date. Opening the door, she saw Kakashi for the first time without his mask. Inwardly she was jumping up and down screaming 'OH MY GOSH HE'S SEXY' but outwardly she managed to keep her cool. He stood there, an eye patch covering his Sharingan. He wore a button up shirt over a pair of dark blue jeans. "You look beautiful Seyann." He said, offering her a bouquet of roses that were behind his back. "T-thank you…" she managed to get out. Mika appeared behind her and said "I'll take the flowers and put them in water." Under her breath she whispered to Seyann "Remember everything so you can tell us. Now get outta here girl!"

Seyann obliged and stepped out of the house, closing the door behind her. "Shall we head out?" When Seyann nodded, Kakashi wrapped an arm around her waist and raised two fingers in front of his face. With a poof, and a swirl of silver smoke-they were there.

Seyann gasped when she saw where 'There' was.

There's a restaurant by her house that was created from a gristmill. Creatively enough it is called 'The Old Mill'. The scenery was beautiful with a waterfall and delicate spring flowers that were just starting to bloom as well as the leaves on the trees. As they walked arm in arm along the cobblestone path to the actual restaurant, Seyann couldn't help but wonder where he had gotten his information from-Mika was the only one who knew this was her favorite place for brunch.

When they got inside, Kakashi held her chair for her as she sat down before going over to sit in his own chair. Somehow he had managed to get a seat overlooking the waterfall and the view-not to mention the sweetness of the gesture-took her breath away.

It was buffet style and they went up together to get food. Said food was delicious but it could've tasted like sawdust and she wouldn't have cared.

Ok, if the chocolate from the chocolate fountain or the strawberries had tasted like sawdust, she would've cared because they were her favorite things but…she wouldn't have cared…much.

What she cared about most was the fact that he had gone to so much trouble to make this date perfect, just the way she liked it.

When they were done eating and were walking arm in arm back along the path by the waterfall, Kakashi lead her up to a bridge that looked over the river. "Seyann…I don't know about you…but I'm starting to feel something for you. I'm not sure what to call it because personally, I've never felt anything like this before. But…" Seyann shushed him. "Let's just look at the waterfall. It's so beautiful" Kakashi smiled and said "Not as much as you." Seyann's cheeks tinged and she said "Thanks…and just so you know… I am too…"

Kakashi smiled and leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

It really had been a perfect date.

A/N-I thought that fluff was needed after that cliffhanger that I gave you guys last time.

With this chapter, another one-shot is going into 'Pieces of an alternate Reality'...But as a treat for reviewers, I will be doing two one-shots tomorrow. Later.

REVIEW!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N-Thanks to Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87, and Yargy the Pirate Queen who reviewed the last chapter and efay who reviewed chapter 4..

After this chapter please don't kill me...

Disclaimer-I don't ownNaruto.

Chapter 16

The rest of the week past fairly uneventfully- mostly training. The kind of training that took almost all their strength and left their energy all but depleted. All through this, Kakashi and Seyann continued to grow closer and by Wednesday, it was common that where you found Kakashi, you found Seyann and vice versa. Although they hadn't kissed yet…Seyann had told Mika and Michelle as much.… it was common for Kakashi to hold Seyann close whenever they were sitting down.

However, the first time Mika had stage-whispered to Michelle and Sakura that "They looked like such a cute couple", Seyann had disentangled herself from Kakashi's arms long enough to chase the Kunoichi around the yard, yelling (all the while blushing) "WE ARE NOT A COUPLE." Mika just had to flame the fire at this and added in a teasing voice "Yet." This stopped Seyann in her tracks and she nodded. "Right. Yet." Seyann then returned to her position with Kakashi.

The only other real bump in the road…was when Seyann had come back from training with Mika and Michelle, only to discover Kakashi burrowed within a Itcha Itcha Paradise novel. Mika and Michelle had already gone inside when she found him. Anger didn't even begin to describe her emotions.

For, you see…while Seyann herself was a bit of a hentai and she knew Kakashi was a hentai, she didn't appreciate her almost-boyfriend reading a hentai book.

Mika and Michelle were standing in Mika's kitchen, getting something to drink (her parents were at work) when they heard a loud, ear shattering yell accompanied by a ripping sound and a giant crashing sound. Immediately, hair fluttering behind them, the two girls had gone flying back outside, Gaara, Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto, who had been in random places in the house, hot on their heels.

When they got back there, they found a very peaceful situation. Seyann was comfortable in Kakashi's arms, although the red still hadn't faded from her eyes indicating she had just been furious. A clay pot that had been sitting on the back porch had suffered her wrath and, from the position, it was obvious it had been thrown in Kakashi's general direction accuracy marked by traces of dirt that stood out in Kakashi's silver hair.

Paper was scattered everywhere and it wasn't until Mika picked one up and glimpsed a half-naked girl that she fully comprehended what happened. Leaning over to whisper in Michelle's ear, absolutely positive that Seyann couldn't hear her, she said, "Well I must say, he certainly has a calming effect on her. Any other guy… she would've never spoken to him again." Michelle nodded in agreement.

On Thursday during training, Michelle had a good suggestion. "Let's not train tomorrow…it's been beautiful, it's supposed to be beautiful tomorrow…let's go to the beach." Mika brightened at this suggestion, and looked over at Kakashi for permission he immediately granted. "You guys deserve a break."

"I can't."

Everyone looked over at the person who belonged to the voice. "Seyann why not?" Said Mika concerned. "My birthday's not for about a week but my mom decided that since tomorrow, everyone can come because of Game's week, we're going to celebrate tomorrow…all day because it's my 18th. Just family of course…next week I'll…" she caught herself and looked away.

Next week…at least one of them would be in Naruto's world.

Abruptly changing the subject back to the beach, Seyann said, "After a while talk will switch to how everyone's doing and the like…I should be able to get away by noon. Key word…should. I don't know if I'll be able to so don't get your hopes up." With this Seyann shot a warning look at Kakashi who had groaned at the thought of not being able to see Seyann in a bathing suit.

"If I did come I'd wear a one-piece." This statement caused the entire group to break out laughing.

The next day, the group found themselves on the beach. Gaara was sitting beside Mika, who sat on a beach chair tanning, while watching her boyfriend manipulate the sand every which way. On her request, he made her a field of sand flowers (as in flowers made entirely of sand) but other than that he was mostly just swirling the sand around as a form of training. Sasuke and Sakura were playing a game of chicken with Naruto and Michelle, with Sakura on Sasuke's shoulder and Michelle on Naruto's. It was no holds barred so Sakura was using her strength and Michelle was using the Sharingan. Kakashi had taken off down the beach about a half an hour ago.

Seyann had worked had as in worked on her mom hard, however, she had managed to do it. She managed to talk her mother into allowing her to leave her birthday party at around noon. All the presents had been given and the whole 'happy birthday, best wishes' thing was done so Mrs. Lenzi finally let her daughter leave. "It's your day so you should spend it with your friends."

Her mother had no idea about Kakashi…yet.

The young girl ran upstairs to change but as she searched the drawers for her navy blue one-piece…she couldn't find it. "MOM! WHERE'S MY ONE-PIECE!" The faint answer floated up the stairs "It was too old…wear the one I got you…"

The one her mother had gotten her several months ago, when they were on sale, was a pink floral bikini.

Seyann marched downstairs and said, "It's pink." "And you're a girl. Grin and bear it."

Seyann's eyes narrowed and they turned a faint color of orange with annoyance. Her mother didn't even bat an eye, having already found out about Seyann'sninja capabilities."Fine…I will wear…" she shuddered "The pink swimsuit. But underneath a black t-shirt."

And that's how she showed up on the beach, the slightest bit of the pink peeking out from underneath her back shirt. She walked through the trees until she saw the black hair of her friend, lounging on the beach chair. Deciding spontaneously, she snuck up behind her friend and clamped her hands over Mika's eyes saying, in a deep voice, "Gotcha!" Mika let out a yelp at this.

As soon as the yelp had left her friend's mouth, Seyann found herself encased from head to toe in sand, pushed over and effectively pinned against the ground. Mika, herself had leapt out of her char and pulled out a kunai from a holster beside her chair and, straddling the pile of sand pinning the assailant down, holding a kunai at the person's throat…

Only to look into Seyann's terrified eyes.

"Oh my…GAARA LET GO! IT'S SEY!" yelled Mika. The sand obliged and, not only did the sand pull off of her like a blanket; it helped her to her feet by pushing her up. "I should've known better than to do that to you…especially when we're surrounded by this much sand." She said ruefully.

"It's ok…sorry about the kunai." "Well at least you know it's becoming reflex now. Where's Kakashi?" Seyann threw the question out there, in an 'I'm just asking I don't care' voice. Mika wasn't fooled. "He took off down the beach about a half an hour ago…" Seyann didn't wait for Mika to finish the sentence and, instead, took off down the beach at a stead walk-jog.

"Umm…Sey? Yeah…he went that way…" said Mika with a smirk on her face as she pointed down the beach in the opposite direction.

Seyann's cheeks flushed and she turned to walk in the other way… "Thanks…" muttered the girl as she turned and jogged the other way, brown hair swirling around her face.

She wondered, as she walked, what Kakashi would say when he saw her. While she thought about him and what he would say, she couldn't help but wonder for one tiny moment what it would've been like to just be normal. Just be a fan of the TV show…

To not be a kunoichi…this must be something Mika had gone through.

But then…she wouldn't have met Kakashi…and she wouldn't be in the middle of falling in love with him…

Ok…being a Kunoichi had its plusses…without it he wouldn't have given her a second glance…so she knew she was special.

Some ditzy giggling girls drew her out of her revere. She glanced up at the gaggle of girls-about 17 to 18- who were crowded tightly around something. Seyann smirked bitterly. Probably the 'Catch of the day'.

She absolutely hated girls like that-shallow bimbo's who knew nothing about anything, just how to rate how hot every guy who walked along was. As she turned her attention back to the beach something in the circle caught her eyes…

A flash of silver hair.

She whirled her attention back to the group and, as the circle parted slightly, she saw exactly what was happening…

Her heart jumped to her throat and her gut twisted like they were a bunch of snakes.

In the middle of the circle, surrounded by buxom girls in bikinis, sat Kakashi. And not only was he surrounded by them, but he had a blonde under one arm and a brunette with blonde and red streaks under the other.

Her heart settled back in her chest but she could've sworn it stopped beating as she felt her eyes fill with tears.

She could see him laughing at a joke the brunette had just told him. The blonde then caught sight of Seyann and, smirking, whispered into Kakashi's ear, pointing at Seyann not-to-subtly.

He looked over and froze. Removing his arms from the girls, he stood up. "Seyann…I" he tried, sounding surprised and ashamed. Seyann took a step backwards, away from him. They weren't that far apart…he could see her eyes from here-rapidly flickering between deep green for jealousy, deep blue for incredible sadness and betrayal, as well as orange and red for annoyance and fury.

The blonde reached up and took a hold of Kakashi's hand, trying to pull him back down. This threw Seyann over the edge and she turned on her heel and took off down the beach. Wrenching his hand out of the blonde's he took off after Sey.

He put chakra into his feet to attempt to catch up with her-it's hard to run on the sand, and Seyann was fast. He was almost caught up with her so he yelled "Seyann wait!"

It was as before-her strong emotions fueled her chakra and her control was perfect. The amount of chakra she put into her feet caused a plume of sand to billow up, blocking Kakashi's view. When the sand subsided…she was gone.

But all he had to do was follow her chakra.

Instead of going back to everyone else, she went to a small glade that was hers alone-she came here all the time when she was smaller and only she knew about it. It was her own private sanctuary.

As soon as she got there, she collapsed onto her knees in the sand. Picking up a handful in each fist, she flung the sand at the nearest target-a tree. The chakra that she accidentally allowed to seep into the sand caused it to abrade the tree, tearing almost all the bark off. "Why…" she sobbed, tears falling to the sand below. She felt betrayed and horribly hurt. "Damnit…" she slammed her hand into the ground. Picking up another fistful of sand she threw it at her target…

Only to see Kakashi standing there, a remorseful look on his face. He didn't even try to avoid the sand and when it had fallen, he had scratches all over his body from the sand.

"Why…how dare you follow me…" she said, her anger growing, eyes on the ground. When she looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears, flickering between blue and red. "HOW THE HELL COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" she sprang up and ran over from her spot where she had been collapsed, only to smash her fists against his chest. Finally she broke down and sobbed, forehead resting against his chest. "I'm sorry Sey…" he said softly.

His voice reminded her of where she was. Pulling herself out of his arms with as much force as she could muster, she looked straight into his eyes with her own blue ones-her anger having faded, leaving behind only sadness and bitterness and said "Go…go away." She choked back a sob and continued "Leave…leave me alone…I never want to see you again Teme."

With this, she turned her back on him and walked away through the trees, back to their friends.

A/N-…..

Please don't kill me…

Two one-shots are going into 'Pieces of an Altered Reality' with this…well, one's from chapter 14 but yeah...check em out.

Review.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 16-Duckichan87, efay, Wonderwart, Yargy the Pirate Queen and Kyiri Makrono…Well not much to say, Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 17

She came out of the woods at a run behind where everyone else was sitting. Landing on her hands and knees in the hot sand, she made a sound somewhat between a gasp from running so hard and a sob. Squeezing her eyes shut, tears began to flow as her brown hair formed a protective curtain around her face.

The three other Kunoichi were up in a second and around her, Michelle and Mika flanking her with their arms around her shoulders while Sakura knelt in front of her and raised her head. Seyann's body racked with sobs as she leaned on her friends. She was so distressed that she couldn't even begin to answer the questions that they were asking her such as "What's wrong, Why are you crying…where's Kakashi?" This made Seyann open her eyes wide and dissolve into more tears.

Mika and Michelle exchanged a dark look over Seyann's back. The last time their friend had been driven to tears this bad was when her father had passed away. It was bad.

It, however, wasn't until Kakashi came out from the forest behind them and the girls saw the ashamed look on his face that they realized what had happened.

Sakura was furious. The pink-hared Kunoichi got up from where she knelt in front of her cousin and marched over to her Sensei. Mustering all of her strength, the pink-hared Haruno slapped her teacher hard across the face. "How dare you do what I think you did to her?" Michelle said "What would you think if she did something like that to you?" in a demanding voice, while Mika just gave him a dirty look.

The boys were puzzled, not being as well versed in reading a girl's body language. However, when a buxom blonde came up to the group and said "Kakashi are you done with that little girl?" They caught on.

They didn't have a chance to act, however, before Sakura whirled to face the girl and said, "He doesn't want to talk to you. Go away before I hurt you, you little whore." Turning her back on the girl to face Kakashi again she said "Seyann caught you didn't she?" When Kakashi couldn't meet his student's eyes, she let out a huff and said, "Let's go everyone." Mika bent over and Michelle placed the exhausted Seyann on her back. Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara each started to pack the beach equipment, with Gaara carrying Mika's things. Sakura folded her beach towel and put it in her bag, looking back up at the blonde girl who hadn't taken a hint and left. "I told you to get lost." "I'm not going to listen to you little girl." Smirked the blonde.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and said, "It's because of you that my cousin is so distraught. Leave before I hurt you." When the blonde, this time, ignored her, Sakura powered up her fist with some chakra and punched the sand as hard as she could, sending a spray of sand at the girl.

Only then did she take the hint and leave. Once she was gone, the group moved back into the woods to transport back home with Gaara and Mika going straight home, Sakura taking Seyann home and Sasuke taking Michelle home.

Kakashi made no move to follow them, staying on the beach staring out onto the water.

When he finally made his way home the sun had almost set and it was about 7 o'clock. Mika straightened up after picking some clothes off of the floor and just looked at him. Not saying a word, she turned and folded her polo shirt to put away. Kakashi sighed and turned to the giant gilt mirror he had first come through, wanting to go back to the other world and drown his sorrows in Sake at his favorite bar. However, when he actually looked at the mirror itself, he noticed a piece of paper taped to the frame of the Mirror with his name on the front. Reaching out a hand, he peeled the tape carefully off of the gilt.

"_So Kakashi you've been a bastard to the one you love."_ Read the cover of the pamphlet. Flipping it open, he read the title on the inside 'How to Grovel 101'. Arching an eyebrow he flipped the pamphlet over so he could see the back and read, at the bottom, in a very small print, 'Yourusashi Productions, Copyright 2006'

He slid his eye over to Mika, who stood at her closet, hanger clutched tightly in her hands.

"She's one of my closest friends. Even if you hurt her…even if you made a mistake…you're only human… I can tell you love her. And as her friend I only want what's best for her. And I know that's you." Mika hung up the jeans she had put on the hanger in a hurry and left the room.

Kakashi smiled gratefully to her before she left and flipped back to the center of the pamphlet.

It is here that the authoress should mention that one dollar from Konoha equaled about 50 dollars in Mika's country. So something expensive here would be cheap for them…and vice versa. So when Kakashi saw the picture in the pamphlet, he knew it was perfect. The next morning as soon as the stores opened he went out and picked it up-along with something else he sawthat he thought would suit her.

Seyann hadn't moved from her bed since she had gotten home from the beach the day previous. Well she had gotten changed, into a training outfit her mother had bought for her for her birthday-it consisted of a tank top with net sleeves (similar to Gaara's first outfit) and shorts that went down to about her knees and clung to her legs. But after that she had curled up under her blanket and hadn't moved.

Her mother had assumed it was a guy.

The next morning at around 10, her mother called up to her from the kitchen, saying "SEYANN! THERE'S SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU!" The Kunoichi dragged herself out of bed and walked to the door. Calling down to her mother she said, "I don't want to see anyone right now…please please…tell him to go away."

Mrs. Lenzi gave a sympathetic look to the silver haired man who had come to see her daughter. "I'm sorry…." Kakashi smiled bitterly and said, "I don't blame her…I was an idiot. Can you give this to her?" He handed her a package with an envelope on top of it. Without another word he turned around and left.

Seyann waited by the door until she heard the front door close, a tear running down her face at his voice. Footsteps on the stairs warned her of her mothers impending entry and she sat back down on the bed.

"Sey?" asked her mother softly, knocking gently on the door. She had a good idea about what had happened-based on the fact that a very cute guy had just dropped off a package at her house. "Come in mama…" Her mother came in and sat down gently on the bed. "There was just a gentlemen here…he dropped something off for you…Care to explain?"

"His name is Hatake Kakashi. He's a Jounin from Naruto's world and…" A small smile spread over her face, as she said "And I love him…"

"Well…he just dropped this off for you." Seyann smiled and said "Thanks mama." Her mother just smiled and left the room.

The first thing she did was take the envelope of the package and tear it open. There was, inside a card that had an extremely sad cartoon bunny rabbit on it. Seyann rolled her eyes and muttered "Cutesy stuff isn't getting you points Hatake." She scanned the greeting and read the message at the bottom.

_Dear Seyann._

_I will never be able to tell you how sorry I am for what I did to you…I made one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made in my life when I allowed those bimbo's seduced me. You have more of a personality and are more beautiful than all of them put together…and you are the best thing that ever happened to me…I don't want to lose you…._

_Please Forgive me…Believe me when I say…I love you…_

_Kakashi._

Dropping the card on her bed she turned her attentions to the box. Tearing off the navy blue paper, she discovered a jewelry box underneath. Her eyes opened wide as she lifted the velvet lid with a snap.

Lying within the box was two necklaces. One was a silver heart shaped pendant on a silver chain, with a yellow gold bead on either side of the pendant to compliment it. The other necklace was a white gold choker with heart shaped dangles carved from onyx.

Her eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline. "This guy knows how to grovel." She murmured as she lifted the heart pendant out of the box. So absorbed was she in the necklaces that she barely heard the 'poof' behind her. When it registered she whirled around, his name on her lips… "Kakashi…"

He just stood there, hands in his pockets, unable to meet her eyes. In that moment, looking at him she realized that he was truly sorry for what he had done-not merely saying it as she had been suspicious of the day before. Letting a smile grace her face, she sprang off the bed and jumped into his arms. Pressing her face into his vest as she had the previous week, she whispered, loud enough so he could hear her, "I forgive you…. and…"

She leaned her head back and looked into his eye. "I love you too…" His eyes widened in shock. "You…forgive me…just like that?" "Well I was up most of last night thinking about it…and I realized…that you have an outgoing personality. And that's something I love about you…even though I never want to come across a scene like yesterdays again…" eyes flashing, she looked at him and said "Trust me, I will not forgive you again…I can forgive you now, though…because I love you. And everyone deserves a second chance."

He reached up and pulled down his mask, in one fluid movement. Holding the back of her head firmly in one hand, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She reached up and wrapped her own arms around the back of his neck.

They were in their own little world-a world that was made of each other. Which is why, when an explosion rocked Seyann's house the next moment, the two lovers were caught off guard.

A/N-There you go…Seyann can't stay mad at him for long…but what caused the explosion? Duh duh duh….

There is no one-shot with this but the next update will be a double update, and that will be later tonight…along with a one-shot.

Review.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 17 -Kyiri Makrono and Duckichan87. U guys rock! I know, today I updated kinda quickly but...i will not be updating tomorrow...today was kinda compensation for that. Unless popular demand asks that I update tomorrow...WHAT DOES POPULAR DEMAND SAY? Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own.

Chapter 18

Kakashi moved like lighting, his Jounin senses once again on high alert. Scooping up the necklaces that he had given to Seyann, he shoved them, and the card into her hands. Once he had done this, he took her into a tight hug. "Forgive me…" behind her back, he formed several hand seals…"To Mika's…" he said softly, pulling back and releasing her. He could see the word _'No…'_ was clearly on her mouth but a poof of smoke took her away from him before she could say it. "…Forgive me Seyann…" he said quietly to the empty room. "I had to make sure you were safe…"

That being said he whipped out a Kunai and left the room to begin searching for the cause behind the explosion.

Mika was lounging on her bed, math textbook open in front of her while she attempted some homework assigned before Game's Week; Gaara was at the end of the bed meditating. He was thrown out of it though when Mika yelled out in surprise when Seyann appeared in the middle of her bedroom, out of a poof of silver smoke, clutching two necklaces and a card in her hands. Gaara's sand attempted to react but Mika's voice saying "Seyann! What's wrong?" Her friend was frozen in a position of reaching out to grab something, all the while mouthing a word.

Pulling her hand back into her chest, she said, "He's such an idiot…"

"Gaara, go get Sakura…" Said Mika in an uncertain, anxious voice. Her boyfriend got up and complied. Soon, the pink-haired medic nin was in the room and she was making her cousin sit down on Mika's bed. "Seyann what's wrong?" Seyann just mutely shook her head and drew the card and necklaces closer. "She's in shock. Something traumatic happened." Sakura placed a hand on each of her cousin's shoulders and closed her eyes. A light green chakra flowed out of her hands and into her cousin. "It's a calming Jutsu. She was starting to go into a bit of shock…this should stop it."

As the chakra flowed into Seyann's body, her breathing evened out and she unclenched her fists, allowing the necklaces to fall so that they were just dangling off of her fingers. "Now Seyann…what happened?" Seyann looked up, her eyes a yellowish-fear. "Kakashi had come to my house to apologize to me for what he had done. I had forgiven him and…we had kissed…" she blushed slightly here before continuing "We _were _kissing…. and then there was an explosion. A very violent explosion. He handed me the jewelry and…hugged me like he didn't want to let me go…"

"And then he did hand seals behind my back and he sent me here…" Then she seemed to come to her senses and a splash of brown was added to her yellow eyes. "I have to go back…I need to help him, he can't stay there and fight by himself…and my mom…" her voice was getting panicky. The necklaces slid out of her hands and she sprang to her feet. "I have to get back to him…" Mika, however reached out a hand to stop her, taking her firmly by the wrist.

"You aren't going anywhere Sey. He sent you here to be away from the danger, so you'd be safe. Do you know how much chakra he probably used sending you here? And you will flaunt that by going right back there?" Queried Sakura of her cousin-she alone knew how much chakra a transport took.

Back at Seyann's house, Kakashi had proceeded down to the kitchen. He had yet to see any enemy nin; however he had found Seyann's mother-she was lying unconscious on the kitchen floor. Checking for anything that could indicate a trap, he raced over to Mrs. Lenzi and transported her to Mika's bedroom. The strain that doing two transport Jutsu had put on his chakra had caused him to lean against the counter, panting. It was at this moment, when he was so exhausted and still recovering that a kunai flew past and thunked into the cupboard….

And he hadn't even sensed it.

He whirled around and faced his opponent. The nin he faced had a forehead protector wrapped around his thigh-with a slash through it. Akatsuki. The ninja had blonde hair spiked like his as well as a shirt that covered his face to his nose. He twirled another kunai between his fingers all the while laughing at Kakashi. "Why do you think I attacked you here?" said the enemy in an amused voice. Kakashi only shrugged as he twisted the kunai out of the cupboard and tensed for attack.

"Mom!" Seyann leapt off of the bed and wrapped her arms around her mother who had just woken up. "Where…Am I?" asked her mother in a dace. "At Mika's house." Seyann sat down beside her mom and glared at the closed doors, which were sealed with chakra. On the other side, she knew, sat Sasuke and Gaara to make sure she didn't try to run back to Kakashi…

Again…

She had already tried-the urge to get back to him too strong. It was then it hit her…

They didn't seal the window.

"Because Kakashi…" sneered the ninja, saying Kakashi's name with a deal of sarcasm. "I've been waiting for you to be alone. You constantly protecting the people we're trying to get at…well the Akatsuki see that as a nuisance. So we decided to off you. And we decided to attack you here because we know that you would drain your chakra to get her and her mother out of here. I mean come on…" The Akatsuki nin laughed. "It's fairly obvious you'll kill before allowing her in harms way. And it's obvious why. She has no chakra control, she can't do any Jutsu's…she's pathetic."

Kakashi could only process one thought at this time-"You've been watching her?" he asked in a dark voice. Faster than anyone could blink the kunai had left Kakashi's hands and was sailing towards the enemy's throat. The Akatsuki leapt out of the way, kunai slicing his arm as he went. "Not bad." He commented before throwing three shuriken at Kakashi as a distraction before he preformed a quick jutsu. Before Kakashi could blink he was surrounded by three copies of the enemy nin. All three had a kunai out ready to stab at him. To avert this, he put chakra into his feet and leapt into the air, over the heads of the clones-not fast enough.

The depletion of his Chakra supply was obviously getting to him-a kunai caught his right leg, causing him to fall on the clone making it disappear. The pain, however, in his leg didn't go away.

Seyann had, as quietly as she could, stripped all of the sheets off of Mika's bed and had made a sheet rope as seen in old movies. After kissing her mother (who was silently crying) good-bye and assuring her that leaving was necessary, she opened the window softly and, after securing the rope to the bedpost, had dropped soundlessly to the ground.

Upon hitting the ground, she put chakra into her feet as best she could, and took off, intent on getting to her house before anyone knew she was gone.

Sakura sat on the couch in the living room, her forehead wrinkled as she puzzled over something.

'Why didn't one of us just write down what that stupid demon said before she was sealed? Then I wouldn't have to be remembering it now.' Inner Sakura complained in a loud voice. 'Shut up I'm trying to remember…'

She gently placed her pen tip on the paper and began to write

I will release myself…when the 4 seals are gone… 

'Ok…what's next?'

Mika walked upstairs, a tray bearing food for Seyann and her mother in her hands. She nodded to Sasuke and Gaara who sat sentry on either side of the door. Sand snaked up and opened the door for her, causing her to smile gratefully at her boyfriend.

However what she saw-or didn't see-in the room made her gasp in shock and drop the tray.

The two guys were up and flanking her instantly. The sight that met them was one of Mrs. Lenzi leaning against the bed, sobbing silent sobs. Mika's bed was stripped and the end of one of the sheets tied to the frame leading out the window.

Mika ran over to the window and looked out, hoping to still see Seyann…but was only greeted by the bedsheets flapping in the wind…

Seyann was gone…

Feet pounded the cement as she ran back to her house. Within her mind-although out of her range of consiousness, a sly, feminine voice said

"**When the four seals are gone…"**

A/N-Yes, there will be a one-shot, called Prophecy, that accompanies this chapter. I reccomend reading this chapter, then reading the one-shot before proceeding onto the next chapter.

Review.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N-Quickie posts...Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own.

Chapter 19

Kakashi slammed into the wall behind him, having just been thrown by an attack from the Akatsuki member. Various pictures that had been hanging up rained down around him. As he lay there, recovering his wind, he glimpsed a picture of Seyann that had landed on the floor beside him. The frame and the glass were cracked but that wasn't what mattered. In the picture stood Seyann with her long brown hair blowing in some invisible breeze. Her eyes were a greenish-brown-the color they had been before her trait had been unsealed. She was leaning against a man who had his arm around her-he could only assume he was her father. But seeing her…

Reminded him why he was fighting.

He reached down, deep down into his chakra storage container and scraped as much of it as he could use and still have enough left to live and preformed 3 hand seals Ox-Hare-Monkey… "Lightning Blade!" He yelled, sending waves of pure chakra at the Akatsuki nin.

"How could you just let her leave?" exploded Mika at her boyfriend. Michelle had been called over when Seyann had still been at Mika's house and she was berating her cousin as well. Mika paced the room anxiously; black hair swirling around her face, as Gaara just stood there and took the yelling. He understood just how stressed she was-her friend had vanished, gone to a place where she would be in certain danger…when she had been sent _away_ from that place for her protection. When she finally stopped pacing and sat down on the bed, Gaara wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into him for comfort. "Shh…if she's going where we all know she's going, she's going to be with Kakashi. She will be fine." He said in an assuring voice.

Kakashi fell to his knees, unable to move. Using the Lightning Blade had taken away the last bit of chakra…the enemy nin twirled a kunai between his fingers much as he had done earlier when he had been laughing at Kakashi. He said in a smirking voice "You know, I've always wanted to be the one who took down the Copy Nin, the infamous Hatake Kakashi." He stopped twirling his kunai and smirked. Lunging at Kakashi with almost more force than necessary, he yelled "YOU'RE FINISHED KAKASHI!"

Kakashi grimaced as the enemy raced towards him. 'Damn I've used too much chakra…' he closed his eyes as the nin closed in on him. 'This…could be it…'

'Seyann…' He waited for the killing blow.

But it never came. He heard the kunai slice something and heard blood splatter onto the ground, but he never actually felt the pain himself.

He cautiously opened his eyes…

Only to be greeted by a slender figure with long brown hair standing in front of him. The figure had her arms up in a blocking position and the blood was coming from where the kunai had been buried in her left arm.

He knew her… "SEY!" he yelled, panicked.

The enemy nin widened his eyes in surprise but then his eyes got an evil glint in them. He twisted the kunai viciously causing her to yelp in pain before he sprang backward, effectively ripping the knife out of her arm. Dropping her arms to her sides, with the blood in a spider web pattern down the left one, she lowered her head so that it was impossible to tell her eye color. She did, however, speak.

"I won't have it…I won't let you…even if I can't do anything, can't fight…even if my chakra control sucks…I will not let you…. I…"

She looked up, her eyes becoming visible. Instead of just being the normal angry red…. they were…fire. She was so angry; her emotions had come out as fire burning in her eyes. "I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT THE ONES I LOVE!" She yelled. The blonde nin in front of her scoffed. "What can you do? You can't even fight."

The scowl on her face darkened. Her body seemed to pulse as she lowered her head so that her bangs covered her eyes. The top of her mouth rose in a snarl and beneath it, the blonde nin could see her incisors growing and lengthening into fangs. Raising her left hand up to her face, the blood spider webbed down her arm as he watched her fingernails lengthen into claws. Kakashi looked at her right hand and watched the same thing happen. "Seyann…"

Suddenly the girl yelped and grabbed her right shoulder with her left hand, blood dripping onto the floor. From Kakashi's vantage, he could see that the back of her shirt was starting to sizzle and burn. "My…Back…It Burns…" growled Seyann, sounding more feral than human. Purple chakra began to swirl around her.

"Where's…this enormous chakra coming from?" Said the enemy nin, raising one hand to his face in surprise.

As her back stopped burning and Kakashi saw her shirt stop sizzling, she dropped her hands at her side. Suddenly, without any warning, it seemed as though a weight had been lifted as an enormous amount of purple chakra was released and it surrounded her, swirling around her like a freak breeze. She had her … the only word to describe her nails was claws…on both hands tensed and ready to strike…like an animal.

The times that Kakashi had ever seen anyone like this before was when Naruto went to Kyuubi form.

Then, through the swirling chakra, as her hair blew around, he glimpsed something on her back. He couldn't make it out however.

Until the chakra, as abruptly as it had released, stopped swirling around. She dropped to one knee, no longer having the support of the chakra and caught her breath. As her hair settled back down, she raised her right hand to just beside her head and cracked her knuckles. While she did this, he saw what had burned her back so much. His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

'That Kanji…'

'That's…the same kanji that Gaara of the Desert has…'

"What does this mean?" he murmured out loud. For, engraved on her back, was the kanji Ai.

Seyann snarled, seemingly incapable of forming sentences at this point. Cracking her knuckles again, she faced the Akatsuki nin and leapt towards him, fueled by a chakra that wasn't her own. A single slash with her razor-sharp claws…

A spurt of blood…the enemy nin was dead before he hit the ground.

Seyann stood over his body, staring at the blood on her hand with a delighted smirk that showed off her razor sharp incisor teeth. As she lowered her hand to her side, the blood from the gash on her arm mingled with the blood from the enemy nin.

She turned partially and looked back at Kakashi. The expression on his Seyann's face startled him-it was so unlike her normal happy expression. She was smiling…but her face was evil looking. Her eyes were red, as they were when she got angry but….a different kind of red. He had a feeling they were red now…from what ever had caused her fingernails to turn to claws and her teeth to turn into fangs.

Her eyes had also changed shape as well as color. They were now almond shaped and the cornea was red while the pupils…were slits, like a cat's. As she smirked, she growled out "Heh…" She cracked her knuckles and…her body pulsed and…

Suddenly, she blinked and she was Seyann again. Her teeth and fingernails shrank and her eyes went back to normal with normal pupils. Her eye color however, was an off gray. Almost right after she went back to normal, her eyes shut and she fell over backwards.

"SEYANN!" Forcing himself to move before she hit the ground, Kakashi was at her side just in time, catching her bridal style in his arms.

A/N-Yeah…Can you, my readers, figure out what in the heck just happened to Seyann? shifty eyes I sure don't…

Review.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 18 and 19-Kyiri Makrono who was my 60th reviewer…GLOMP. As well as efay and ReiKai101. Read and Review!

Disclaimer-Paprika doesn't own.

Chapter 20

Once Mrs. Lenzi had gotten over her crying, she had gotten up and began to pace the room, anxiously awaiting her daughter's return, Mrs. Fields Waiting with her. Even though, her daughter had calmly explained about the fact that she was a ninja and, yes, would be in constant danger and peril…

Experience…was a whole other matter.

She hated not knowing if her daughter was injured or safe…dead or alive…and how did she know she could trust the man her daughter was struggling to protect? But…everyone else seemed to trust him so she that was all she could do as well…

But she hated waiting.

Her wait came to an abrupt end, however, when voices were heard downstairs. Mika was up and out the door before Seyann's mother could get up, mostly because she used her chakra. Mrs. Lenzi made it to the door of Mika's room, just in time to see Sasuke and Gaara come up the stairs supporting an almost unconscious Kakashi between them and Mika and Michelle just behind them…

With an unconscious Seyann being carried bridal style by Mika.

Letting out a high-pitched shriek, the woman flew to Mika's side and took her daughter's hand, brushing some brown strands out of her eyes. She started asking questions at the speed of light until Mika said "I wasn't there…and the one who was needs to be looked at by a medical nin before we bombard him with questions." While she had been saying this, she had reached her room and had set Seyann down on her bed. "Gaara will you take Mrs. Lenzi out?" Gaara nodded wordlessly and escorted the panicked woman out of the room to allow Sakura with Mika's help to examine Seyann.

After Sakura had healed and bandaged her cousin's arm, Mika took off her clothes and put a pair of her own pink pajamas on her friend. 'She'd better not wake up…' thought Mika wearily. It was as she was doing this that she noticed… "Sakura…what are these scratches?" Said Mika, showing her the little half moon cuts on her friend's hands.

Once Sakura set her eyes on those cuts, she gasped and her face went white as a sheet. "Let me see her hand…" Sakura picked up her cousin's hand and examined it closely. Seyann's fingernails were still slightly pointed, like claws and, beneath one of the claws, Sakura detected blood.

"Mika…Help me. Look for any markings that are on her body that weren't there before. Like…let me give you a hint. Naruto's is on his stomach…Gaara's is on his forehead…"

In a second Mika caught on. "Sealing marks…does that mean…" "I should've told you guys sooner. The cousin who went missing all those years ago was the vessel of a Neko demon." Mika was in shock but she complied with Sakura's wishes and helped her. It wasn't long until they found what they were looking for and when they did, Mika and Sakura could only stare. "That's…" the Kanji… was the same as Gaara's.

Sakura explained, in an uncertain voice, a theory. "While each demon vessel has their own distinct sealing mark, it is possible, for vessels who are related, to have the same marking. But…I don't understand the connection. If Seyann is related to Gaara, she doesn't look a thing like him. We never knew her father…so who could it be?"

The fact that her friend was related to her boyfriend in itself cowed Mika-she was unable to process who her father might be-the only one who really knew was sealed inside Seyann.

Mika was in the process of tucking her friend in when it happened. Seyann shot up and, with newly reformed claws, left three scratches on Mika's arm. Mika leapt to her feet and fell back, while Sakura lunged forward and wrapped chakra ropes around her cousin's wrist before she could move. While she was doing this, she saw Sey's eyes and noted how they were almond shaped now, and red with cat-like pupils.

The thing that was now controlling Seyann relaxed when she realized she was trapped, hissed and said, in a silky, sly voice "What do you want with me." When the struggle had ensued, everyone else who wasn't in an induced sleep (everyone except Kakashi) had rushed into the room, all surprised to see Seyann's new look.

"Name. I knew it at one time but it escapes me." "My name…is Celina." Purred the Neko in Seyann's body. "Why is that voice coming out of my daughter?" "Because, Mrs. Lenzi, your daughter is the vessel of a demon. She still has her personality, this is just an unfortunate…kind of add on to her new life."

"**Celina."** _'You know her Shukaku?'_ "**An old friend of mine. She was sealed at around the same time Kyuubi was."** As Gaara looked down at his girlfriend's arm, he though, rather ticked off '_Well she hurt Mika.'_ At this Shukaku started to growl.

"Shukaku just informed me that he's a friend of Celina. Apparently she was sealed at around the same time the Kyuubi was." "Shukaku is here?" Said Seyann/Celina incredulously. "Where?" "Sealed inside of Gaara."

Sakura grabbed the chakra rope and dragged her cousin's body up so that she could look her in the eye. "Don't hurt her Sakura!" exclaimed Mika. "That's still Seyann…" Sakura relented on her dragging and changed tactics. "I know my aunt was her mother but…who was her father?"

"Well I know her mother was a Haruno…" "I just said that Celina." "Will you let me finish? Her mother was that and her father….Yasha something…Yashamaru. The uncle of Shukaku's vessel."

Gaara's eyes shot open and he stared at the person on the bed in disbelief. Mika slid her eyes to Gaara before back to the figure on the bed. "She's my cousin?" he said. He narrowed his eyes at the mention of his traitorous uncle. '_What if…like father like daughter…'_ he thought, a panic rising in his gut. '_How can I trust her?'_** "Let me out. Just my spirit. I need to talk to Celina." **_'Sure, completely ignore my personal strife.'_ Gaara, however, obliged and a small amount of chakra exploded as his eyes turned gold.

No one noticed this, however, as Mika and Michelle stepped forward simultaneously and Mika said "Celina. We, Seyann's friends, don't want you to even think about playing any mind games with her or tormenting her. We, in fact, don't want to see you unless Seyann is in danger. If you do anything like that, we will find a way to extract you and we will kill you." "Relax. That's more along the lines of Kyuubi or Shukaku to do that." At this, a scratchy, evil sounding voice spoke up. **"Celina. I have a stipulation of my own to put in…if you lay a hand on my lifemate again, I will kill you myself." **"Shukaku?" **"You heard me. Now respect this please." **Celina/Seyann inclined her head slightly and said, "Of course…you love her?" Gaara/Shukaku nodded. **"With everything I am."**

Gaara blinked and his eyes went jade again. Everyone in the room was caught slightly off guard at the fact that even _Shukaku_ loved Mika and said Mika was blushing brightly but attention was soon turned back to Celina.

"Shukaku you're no fun…you've gone and grown up." Said Celina slyly. "Fine. I will adhere to your wishes and only surface, should her life be in danger."

Abruptly, Celina's chakra pattern vanished and Seyann slumped down to the bed. Mika, after giving her boyfriend a peck on the cheek, went over and knelt at the bed side. Seyann sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Where…am I…the last thing I remember is that nin stabbing me…"

"You're at my house…you're safe, we can only assume that the enemy is dead…he didn't follow you. On a different note, we found out why the Akatsuki have been pursuing you… you have a demoness sealed inside you. A Neko." Mika laughed anxiously and said "I guess you could say when we made fun of you about being demon-like…it wasn't that far off of the mark."

Seyann processed this and as she did, she looked down and happened to catch a glimpse of her current outfit. When she looked back up, her eyes were an orange, signifying annoyance. "Mika…" She said, cracking her knuckles. "Yes…" asked Mika nervously.

"Am I wearing _Pink_?" Asked Seyann, saying pink like it was a swear word.

"Well it depends on how you look at it…it could be called an off red…"

"Answer the question." "Yes…yes you are wearing pink."

"When I can get up…I _swear _I am going to kill you."

A/N-Well there you go, an update. Read and Review!


	21. Chapter 21 Interlude

A/N-Before I begin, I must say that this chapter is less of an actual chapter and more of an interlude. Kind of a 'Chapter between the phases of the story' As such, it is a deal shorter than a normal chapter. There is, to compensate, a one-shot that goes with this chapter. Thanks to Kyiri Makrono and Emily-the-Elemental for reviewing Chapter 20

Chapter 21-Interlude.

It was Sunday night; the day that Kakashi had told them…was they day they had to make their decisions by. It was logically decided that, since the portal was at Mika's house they would meet there to tell their final decisions. It was a solemn event-there was no joking or laughing.

Michelle had an unexplainable guilty look on her face.

Kakashi held out a hand and the three girls each placed their respective envelopes containing their responses on it. Placing them on the dresser, he picked up one up at random and tore it open. Pulling out the slip of paper, he scanned it and said "This is Mika's… shall I read it out loud?" Mika nodded her head, avoiding Gaara's eyes.

The sand shinobi felt something drop out of his stomach…had she said… that she was staying here? She wouldn't…would she?

"Well…without reading it…because it's kind of long but to make a long story short…She's coming. Her reasons are…and I quote 'I want to find out more about my bloodline trait and…I cannot leave my sandman.'"

Gaara's face split into an uncharacteristic smile and his eyes looked happy. He stepped out of the shadow he had been standing in and wrapped his girlfriend in a backward hug.

Her mother, however, let out a little yelp, and pressed her face into her husband's shirt. "Mom…" Mika worked herself out of Gaara's hold and went over to her mother. Reaching out her hand, she brushed the tips of her fingers against her mother's sleeve. "Mom…I'm sorry…Really I am… but this was an eventuality. From the moment I found out I was a Kunoichi I knew I would eventually have to leave…I just thought I would leave it later." She lowered her eyes and said, "I don't belong here anymore, in this world, and I don't think I ever did."

"I…understand but you're my daughter, I can't just lose you like this…so suddenly." Mika wrapped her arms around her parents and said "You're not losing me…I'll think about you every day."

Mika's father pulled her back and set her in front of him. "Mika…even if you are adopted…you are my daughter too. My daughter who I accept. Completely." Hazel eyes widened at this and she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you daddy…" she whispered.

Once this emotional part had past, Kakashi tore open the next envelope. When he saw the writing, he visibly tensed. "This is Seyann's…" He scanned it briefly before allowing his face to relax into a smile. "She's coming…Her reason is…" the blunt end of a kunai hit his head and she said, "Shut up, you're not supposed to tell them…"

Mika and Michelle turned bright red trying to contain their laughter, while Gaara commented in a dry voice, "Well she's got you whipped."

In a more serious voice Kakashi said "Another reason of hers for leaving is Celina. She writes here that she's worried that Celina will release and she won't be able to stop her- she's leaving to protect her family and other friends."

He slit the last envelope and slipped out the piece of paper inside. Mika and Seyann slid a glance over to Michelle. The Uchiha avoided everyone's eyes and looked down at Mika's carpet.

"Michelle…do you mind if I read it out loud?" Michelle shook her head, her long brown-black hair gleaming.

With this, Mika and Seyann both knew exactly what their friend's decision was. Their eyes opened in mutual shock while, in the corner, Sasuke started and had to be restrained by Sakura while Kakashi read the note.

"The reasons I have to stay here are my own, however I will share them with you, for your benefit. Believe me…it hurts to leave you guys but…nothing truly ties me to that world the way it does you. Mika, you are the last surviving trait carrier, you have to go back or the trait will cease to exist. Seyann, you cannot stay here because of Celina. I merely have the Sharingan…My life is here, my family is here.

Sasuke I know you are my family but I only found out about that a week ago…the ties I have to my parents are stronger. Forgive me, as I know I am the last family you have that you acknowledge. It's nothing against you.

Forgive me all…I chose to remain here."

There was a ringing silence that filled the room after Kakashi's voice died away. "Michelle…" said Mika in an uncertain voice. "I'm sorry. Short of a miracle…I won't change my mind…I can't deal with change well, you know that."

This being said, Kakashi took Seyann back to her house where she said her final good-byes to her mother and to get some clothes. Mika began to pack while Michelle looked on dully, ignoring Sasuke's attempts to dissuade her from her decision. Finally Mika turned and snapped at the Uchiha "Don't make this any harder on her than it already is." Michelle looked gratefully at Mika, who avoided the look.

Finally everyone was ready. Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto as well as Gaara and Kakashi passed through the mirror, with the assurances that Seyann and Mika would be right behind them.

Many tears were shed as the three friends embraced. "Best friends forever…" whispered Mika. "I spoke to Kakashi who talked to Tsunade for me…we will be able to continue communicating through the mirror…we will stay in touch, promise."

After hugging her mother and father and kissing them goodbye, Seyann and Mika stepped forward to look into the mirror. They saw a room in Hokage tower. Seyann stepped through and, with a slight rippling on the glass surface, she passed through to the world.

Mika turned her head for a final one-eyed glance back at Michelle. The girl she saw standing there looked so afraid and alone that she was tempted to change her mind. Michelle, however, caught her eye and shook her head slightly. "I'll be fine." She whispered. "Go." With this assurance Mika stepped forward, through the mirror.

Leaving Michelle utterly alone.

A/N-Read and Review.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the interlude-Kyiri Makrono, Emily-The-Elemental and Elemental Dragon2.0. To Enraged Karupin-you are entitled to your opinion.

Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 22

In her entire life, Michelle had never been as lonely as she had been in the first 24 hours after her friends left her. Even though she had told her mother the previous weekend about being a Kunoichi, she had never let her in on the fact that she might leave. The day after everyone had left, she skipped school and told her mother about everything that had gone on, coming clean about how close Mrs. Sanchez had come to losing her daughter. Once the conversation was over, Michelle went down to her basement and trained. Not that there was a point or purpose to this training, seeing as how there would be no Akatsuki members left for her to face but some of the exercises that Kakashi and her cousin had shown her were good exercise.

Finally, when she was close to collapsing with exhaustion, she went back upstairs to her room, intent on lying down on the bed. However, when she got to her room, she found Mika's parents along with her mother (her father was at work) hanging the ornate mirror that used to be in Mika's room…in her own room, above her dresser.

"We can't keep it. It's a reminder of the fact that, despite what we might believe, we're never going to see our little girl again. But…that way, if messages can be sent through this…. you can still be connected to your friends. That, and, since it's connected to Naruto…we feel it belongs to you." Michelle's eyes filled with tears. "Thanks…"

After the Fields had left, Mrs. Sanchez went back up to her daughter's room and sat down on the edge of the bed, upon which, her daughter was lying facedown. "I know these last hours have been hard on you dear…I've phoned your father and told him everything." Leaning forward she stroked her daughter's dark hair. "He's going to meet us for supper…not to celebrate the fact that your friends left…but to celebrate that you stayed.

Michelle nodded and pulled herself into a sitting position, smiling at her mother. "Thanks…I'm…glad you understand." Her mother enfolded her into a tight hug and simply held her, comforting her.

It happened when she was in her room, changing to go out for supper. She stared into the ornate mirror that used to be Mika's and began to comb back her hair. "My my don't you look sexy today…. you should straighten it." "Well it's too bad we can't all have hair like yours Seyann." Said the mirror…which shouldn't be talking at all…

Michelle leapt backwards and snatched a blunt object off of her dresser. "Relax it's just us Michelle-Chan." The reflection of the mirror dropped like someone had turned on a light and, behind it stood Seyann and Mika. Michelle dropped her alarm clock and said, "I knew that…"

"So…what's with the primping?" asked Mika, eyebrow raised. "Is there a boyfriend we don't know about?" Michelle rolled her eyes and swatted the glass of the mirror. "My parents and I are going out for supper." "Did you finally tell her about the decision you had to make?"

Michelle paused. "Yeah…I.." she was interrupted by the door swinging open. "Who are you talking to dear?" "Mika and Seyann. They're in the mirror." Mrs. Sanchez looked at the mirror and said "Oh hi girls. Michelle-" she said, turning her attention back to her daughter "We're leaving in five minutes."

"Ok Mom…Guys I gotta go. I'll be home in a couple hours; can you be at the mirror by then? "Yeah…it's in a room in Hokage tower, we are the only ones who have full access to it." "See you then Mika, Seyann. You guys better be ready to tell me every single detail about your first day in Konoha." "And Suna." Chirped Mika. "And Suna." Conceded Michelle. "I'm going now though, I'll see you guys when we get back."

In the car with her mother and father on their way to the restaurant, she was only dimly aware of her mother and father discussing some matter in the front. In the back, she was too busy contemplating her luck. She got to keep her family and yet she could still see her friends. The best of both worlds.

Growing bored with the long drive, Michelle began playing with her Sharingan, turning it on and off, seeing how fast she could turn it on and off, and the like. With her Sharingan, in a brief instant that it was turned on, she saw it almost an instant before it happened. She was sitting on her mother's side and she whipped her head around to see two headlights speeding towards their car on her father's side. She deactivated her Sharingan reflexively…there was a scream-her mother-twisting metal…

And darkness.

Three hours later, Mika and Seyann were standing anxiously in front of the mirror in Hokage Tower along with Sasuke whose panic was, for once, slightly visible. One thing they knew about their friend was that she always kept her word. If she said she was going to be somewhere, she'd be there.

Where was she?

Kakashi, Gaara and Sakura were also there, and although their panic was somewhat restrained, it was clear they were worried. Finally, her patience wearing thin, Seyann went to Tsunade and asked for permission to examine other mirrors.

The first thing that the Fifth said was a firm "No. It was hard enough to get permission from the council to leave one mirror open, I will not be able to get permission to open another one."

Seyann gritted her teeth. "Hokage-Sama." She said, using the title somewhat sarcastically. "Michelle is one of my closest friends. We're worried for her, she never breaks her word. We'll have Gaara, Sasuke and Kakashi with us for protection in case something happens. She's…" Seyann could tell Tsunade was wavering but wasn't entirely convinced yet. "She's an Uchiha, a high ranking member of a Konoha Clan. You are obligated to find her and help protect her." When Tsunade didn't say anything, merely turned her back on Seyann and began rummaging in her desk. Finally Seyann pulled out her ace in the hole.

"I swear, Tsunade, if you do not allow us to find Michelle, I will unleash Celina and I will not reel her back in until we've found her."

Tsunade looked up sharply. "No need to get so drastic Sey-Chan." She said with a chuckle. "I was getting an unsealing scroll. We'll need to if we find her." Seyann turned a bright red and muttered a 'Sorry' before following the Fifth.

It turns out that out of all the villages, the Hidden Leaf had been assigned with watching the portals…in other words, almost every single room in the Tower contained a mirror that was a portal to Mika and Seyann's world. The ninja split up and began scanning all the mirrors.

It was Sasuke who found her. He was near the top and he let out a yell, alerting everyone else to his whereabouts. Mika and Seyann reached the room at almost the same time, racing in to see Sasuke standing stone still as he looked in.

The scene he was looking in on made Mika and Seyann freeze as well. It was a sterile hospital room with egg white walls, several uncomfortable looking chairs and a single bed. On that bed lying still, face white, was Michelle. Her brown-black hair was spread out in a fan around her head which rested on the most uncomfortable looking pillow that the group had ever seen in any of their lives. They could hear the steady beep-beep-beep of the cardio machine and the equally as steady dripping of the IV.

Michelle was a mess. Cuts covered her face as well as her right arm. Her left arm was in a huge white cast up to her elbow and supported by traction. Her left leg was wrapped in an ace bandage and rested on a pillow. Seyann leaned on Kakashi for support as Mika was captured from behind by Gaara. "What…how did this happen?" she managed. Reaching out a hand, she brushed it against the glass of the mirror. "We leave you alone for 2 hours Michelle…"

As if to answer her question, a doctor carrying a chart, accompanied by a nurse walked into the room to examine her friend. "Her arm should heal up nicely." Commented the doctor as the nurse scribbled on the chart. "She was lucky, her leg was merely sprained and she has cuts all over her body." The nurse finished and hung the chart at the end of the bed before going over to change the IV. "Sara….please make sure that when she wakes up, a Grief counselor is notified to come be with her." The nurse nodded, before reaching out a hand to smooth back the girl's hair.

"Poor thing…I was watching the news, I saw the car."

"It's a miracle she survived when her parents were both killed."

Mika almost gasped but Gaara put his hand over her mouth in the nick of time. Seyann had tears pouring down her cheeks while Kakashi held her in a tight hug. Turning to the Fifth with the question in her eyes, the Fifth nodded.

Meaning that once the Doctor and Nurse had left the room, the Fifth undid the reverse sealing scroll she had brought with her and preformed the counter jutsu. As soon as the reversing was complete, Mika and Seyann plunged back through the mirror with Sasuke hot on her heels. Pulling up the two chairs, they settled down around their friends and got comfortable.

And that was how the nurse found them when she was making her rounds. All were sitting around Michelle, connected to her in some way, all asleep except for a black-haired onyx eyed young man who only stared at the patient.

All through the night, all Sasuke could do was sit there and stare at Michelle, and pray she would wake up.

A/N-There ya go. This chapter was hard for me to write, mostly because of the fact that it was my close friends parents who I killed off…I couldn't look at her when she read this.

Review.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed Chapter 22-Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87 (who reviewed chapter 19, 21 and 22 at the same time), Emily-The-Elemental, Elemental Dragon 2.0 Kaori Uchiha192, and Gin-Inu. (glomps reviewers). Here's the chapter! Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 23

She was vaguely aware of something heavy lying on her stomach. She tried to move her arm to reach out to move this heavy thing, however, when she shifted her left arm she found it tied up, supported above her head and off to the side. After making this brutal discovery, she tried to twitch her other hand, only to feel something wrapped around it. It was at this point that she decided to open her eyes.

The light in her room temporarily blinded her. Once it had cleared, however, Michelle raised her head off of the thin pillow and immediately felt queasy. Attempting to brush it off, she looked down at her stomach. She saw a head of black hair lying there... one that looked suspiciously like...She attempted to say something, however, her voice was scratchy from being unused and she had to clear her throat before starting again. "M...Mika?" In a voice that still didn't sound like her own.

The black head lying on her stomach shot up…not Mika.

It was, however, a familiar face. Sasuke. Mika and Seyann were asleep against the bed on her other side. They were the ones holding her hand. Slowly, they came back into consciousness as well, hazy relief on their faces due to the fact that their friend was alert.

She lay her head back against the pillow, aching all over her body. "What are you guys doing here…I thought you left." "We did." Said Mika. "And then you didn't show up when we were supposed to chat…you who are never late…" Seyann finished "We got a little worried…not just a little…actually." "Seyann tracked down Tsunade who let us search…and we found you here."

Sasuke spoke up from his place on her other side. "Michelle, you are the last family I have. Please never scare me like that again." Michelle nodded and smiled weakly. "I'll try."

"Chelle…" Mika looked at Seyann uncertainly. "There's…another reason we came. We overheard the doctor…car crash?" Michelle nodded. "I saw it a second before it actually happened…I had the Sharingan on." Mika looked down at the floor, black hair curtaining her face. "I…don't know how to tell you this… Your…parents…your parents they…"

Michelle's eyes widened in horror as the truth sank in. "Don't tell me." She said in a dull voice, processing this bit of information. "They're gone. That's why…you're back. I don't have anyone now."

"You still have me." Said Sasuke firmly as tears began to leak out of her obsidian eyes.

"We didn't want to tell you Chelle-chan." Said Seyann, herown eyes a deep blue. "We didn't want to hurt you…but I'm sure you'd rather us tell you than some cold doctor." Michelle nodded before she started sobbing.

In a lame effort to cheer her up they told her some of their escapades in Konoha that day and a couple from Suna where Mika had gone. The funniest one, in Michelle's opinion had been Seyann's description of what had happened when she had gone into Kakashi's house…

And discovered his Itcha Itcha paradise _Library._

After adequately yelling at him, to the point of where her eyes were a bright annoyed orange, she had yanked a kunai out of her holder the Hokage had given her and had partially released Celina. Going around the room, cutting and slashing wildly she had made short work of the entire collection before she had fully calmed down. Michelle let out a dry chuckle at Mika's description of the horrified look on the Jounin's face.

During this story, the doctor who had examined their friend the night before had walked in. "Wow…news spreads fast between friends." He commented as he saw the cozy scene in front of him. "Miss. Sanchez, now that you are awake…I should tell you that…" Michelle held up her uninjured hand. "I know sir. My friends told me." "Very well then. Do you have any other family you could stay with?"

Sasuke stood up. "I'm her last living relative, her cousin." The doctor nodded and said, "Is there anyway you can prove that?"

Sasuke looked at Michelle and said "We might as well…it can't hurt anything." Michelle nodded. "Not for too long, I can't use up too much energy." Turning to the doctor, Michelle said "Our family has a certain rare trait where our eyes occasionally turn red. Here…" With that, the two Uchiha's blinked and briefly turned on the Sharingan. "I see." Said the doctor a little dazed. "Ok then…" he walked out of the room in a daze.

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Mika and Seyann would frequently come through the mirror at all hours to visit Michelle, accompanied by Sasuke. Mika had commented about how horribly dry and dusty it was in Suna, only to have her boyfriend overhear her and comment "Well it's the desert…"

Mika laughed this off and said, "In all seriousness…If I ever live there…" she turned scarlet at this and continued "Then I'll need a steady supply of Chapstick from you and Seyann…now you'll never wonder what to get me for my birthday."

On the Friday after Michelle's parents had been killed Tsunade came out of the mirror to talk with Michelle but not before sending everyone out of the room-she had to talk with the female Uchiha. And since the girls were now Konoha Kunoichi, they were in no position to refuse the Hokage.

"Michelle…several days ago, you were offered the chance to leave this world and become a Kunoichi. As I understand it, your reason for staying was your family. What I'm trying to say is… Do you stand by the decision you made before?" Asked Tsunade in a gentle voice.

Michelle looked at a Polaroid picture that had been taken at some point that week, showing Mika and Seyann on either side of Michelle's hospital bed, laughing at some joke one of them had just told. Sasuke had taken gone photo happy after Mika had demonstrated the function of the camera.

"I…." Michelle started, looking at the picture intently. "Tsunade-sama, in all honesty…"

It was for this reason that Tsunade had sent her friends out of the room…If Michelle was going to come to the Naruto world, then it was going to be of her own choice, not because she wanted to support her friends.

"I've never been much for dealing with change …that was one of the reasons I didn't go…And even now…that I have no family here…I have to now deal with the loss of my parents and that is going to be hard enough to do without the major adjustment of living in a new world…My decision remains the same."

Tsunade sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Ok. Then I have a preposition for you. The council has received word that there are still ninja slipping into this world because they are the kind of ninja that kill for fun like Gaara used to and they see the untrained 'normals' if you will as easy prey to satisfy their bloodthirsty urges. I propose that you stay here, keep up your training and, if I find out about any nins killing in this area or you sense anything yourself, you are the protection…you hunt them down and kill them essentially or capture them if you can. You will be paid in Konoha money of course."

Michelle nodded and said "Ok…. I can do that. We're lucky that I'm 18…legally I can live alone. But as long as I have the mirror, I never will be."

The next day the doctors released Michelle to go home and heal. It was decided that Mika and Seyann would take her back to her house and get comfortable. Getting comfortable involved moving most of Michelle's bedding downstairs so that she could sleep on a cot so as not to do stairs with her bad ankle. Mika also thoughtfully moved the gilt mirror downstairs so that, in a pinch, she or Sey could come through and give Michelle a hand until she was better.

Finally Tsunade said that it was time to go back. Mika gave her parents a call and, after a tearful 'Hi, how are you,' she told him about the situation after which, Mika's parents agreed to come by as often as they could to help Michelle.

With one final "Is there anything else you need before we leave?" The two girls went into the mirror.

Only this time it wasn't as bittersweet as last time. Thanks to Mika and Seyann's begging (or bugging) the Hokage…

They would see each other again.

A/N-There you go…Michelle doesn't go to Konoha…yet.

YET!

I know I haven't done a one-shot in a few days…I'm writing my Calculus Final tomorrow and I can't tonight but I believe that tomorrow I should have enough time to post a one-shot about Mika and Sey's first day in Konoha…till tomorrow…

Review!


	24. Chapter 24

A/N-Thanks to my reviewers of the last chapter Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87, Kaori Uchiha192, efay, Elemental Dragon2.0 and a special glomp to Yargy the Pirate Queen who was my 80th reviewer. READ AND REVIEW! I'm not sure about this chapter...

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto, only my OC's.

Chapter 24

The ninja squatted on the skyscraper rooftop in the moonlight, a smirk on his face. So many easy prey. His tongue slipped out of his mouth unconsciously and he licked his lips. Suddenly he straightened up and looked behind him. "Who is it?" he said sharply. A shadow moved and stepped forward.

The last thing that the rouge ninja saw was a flashing katana blade and a pair of red eyes.

She stepped into the house, kicking off her sneakers as she went. Pulling her sword out of her belt, she unsheathed it and meticulously polished the blade until it sparkled. After putting it back it in place, hanging above her fireplace, she went downstairs to the basement to train. She did all this emotionlessly-it was just another day at work…as Konoha's hired assassin.

Her gloved fist slammed into the bag that hung from the ceiling, causing it to swing erratically on its thick chain. Just after she had gotten home from the hospital, Tsunade had asked her which room would be the most convenient for her to turn into a training room. She had picked a room at random and had watched as ANBU ninja had walked through the gilt mirror and had gone to work on her basement. By the time her ankle had healed and she was able to walk around, they were finished…and her basement was a trainer's haven.

Boxes full of more kunai and shuriken than she could've ever used lined one wall. Three punching bags hung from the ceiling in various locations as well as weight sets and a supply of chakra restorers in various forms to be used on missions. An entire mirror had been lined with walls, the exception being a spot where the glass from Mika's mirror would go. A cupboard hung on the far wall that she kept her shuriken and kunai holder in as well as the fingerless gloves she used to train and on missions.

Once the punching bag had stopped swinging, she turned around and rammed it with a roundhouse kick. While she was doing this she had happened to catch a glimpse of her reflection in an actual mirror.

When she compared it to the picture of herself, Seyann and Mika that had been taken just after they had found out they were Kunoichi; Uchiha Michelle realized just how much she had changed. Her hair was definitely longer –about mid-back- and she wore it up in a high ponytail. It was no longer simply brown-black but had darkened into a shade that rivaled Mika's with the passage of time. Her body had become lean and muscular from training and fighting rouge ninja and her Sharingan had become so honed to the point she could almost predict where a ninja was going to strike and her skin was a pale shade from always working at night.

The first time she had seen Mika and Michelle after she had gotten home was about 24 hours after the fact. The reunion they had gone through almost made it seem as if they had been separated for a week instead of a day. They had chit-chatted and Michelle had told Mika that she was grateful to her parents for coming over to help her around the house while she recovered.

She did another punching combo on the bag before flipping backward and slamming her fist into one nearest the mirror. Her friends had told her all that had been going on in Konoha about how Mika was rooming with Seyann in a dorm and a funny story about what had happened when Mika had taken Seyann to Suna to meet her cousins. Seyann had been getting acquainted with Temari and Kankuro and, while this was going on, Gaara was talking with some Suna citizens, leaving Mika to do what she did best…get into mischief. Somehow, without him noticing, she had stolen the cork off of his gourd and had ran away and hid.

Gaara hadn't noticed anything amiss until the pile of sand leaking out over took him in height.

Letting out a growl, he had gone over and blamed Kankuro until Temari, who had seen the whole thing, told him exactly what had happened. Stalking off to where he sensed his girlfriend was hiding, he vanished only to reappear a few moments later, replacing the cork…with his hair tousled and Mika following behind him, a smirk on her face.

The sand siblings and the Haruno hadn't asked-they weren't exactly sure they wanted to know.

Anger she thought she had managed to control ages ago began to bubble in her gut as she recalled the mirror conversations she had had with her friends. She punched the bag twice in succession before stopping to once again stare at the picture as she remembered…

Their conversations had happened once daily…but as her friends became more involved in the world they now lived in once daily gradually became once weekly… then once every two weeks and then once every three weeks until she only saw her friends once a month.

She didn't mind. She knew after a while they would become…less of the people she knew. The once a month system worked for 2 years. Their 19th and 20th birthdays respectively were celebrated via mirror…her orders from the Hokage came via mirror, she never actually saw the woman. But as Tsunade had assured her, she was well paid and she didn't require a day job to keep up with bills.

And then…two years after her friends had gone into the mirror world, the announcement she had been waiting for had finally come. Sey and Mika had both shown up to the mirror, bearing light tinges of pink, Seyann's eyes showing pink as well. They each held up their left hand and showed Michelle their respective engagement rings.

They were engaged…to Gaara and Kakashi respectively.

Seyann's ring was white diamond cut in a circle with a smaller pink topaz on either side set into gold. Michelle raised an eyebrow at Kakashi's color choice-she'd have thought by now that he would've figured out his now fiancée's color preference. Seyann had just rolled her own eyes and had said, "Yeah well…I'm going to have something done about that…eventually."

Mika's ring was a white gold bad with an amethyst set, amethyst being her favorite gem. "The way he proposed was so cute." She had squealed to Michelle. "I was training in Konoha, working a punching bag when the sand beside me rose up to form a hand holding a box. I opened the box and when I saw the ring, he appeared behind me and asked me." Michelle had nodded absently. Not her idea of cute…but whatever worked for her friend was fine by her.

Mika and Seyann had happily told their friend also that Tsunade was going to lift the Jutsu so that their friend could come through and go to their wedding…which would take place the next day. Seyann put it the most delicately when she said "The boys don't want to wait anymore."

Michelle, at the fact she was going to the wedding, got excited and had gone out and gotten a lovely dress to wear as a bridesmaid…She was to be both Seyann and Mika's Maid of Honor. She had gotten up particularly early on the day of the wedding because Mika was going to pick her up so they could get dressed together…

But they had never shown up…

And that had been three long, lonely years ago.

Michelle attacked the bag again, this time with Kunai and Shuriken, very close to tearing it apart. She had been technically alone for five years-since they left and since her parents were killed. But she had been without human interaction except for those she killed for the three years that they hadn't communicated with her and it had taken a heavy toll on her formerly so cheery disposition…she was now more like her cousin that she had been before…perhaps even as Gaara had been for years after Yashamaru betrayed him…

Cold almost to the point of being completely emotionless.

Oh she wasn't a lost cause…yet. But unless something happened soon…she would be.

And the fact that she regularly killed as a _job_…that only caused her to lose herself even more.

The only thing that she was totally knowledgeable about from that world was that the title Hokage had changed hands…and that the one who now held it was probably a man…

And she merely knew that from analyzing the handwriting.

Officially tired out, she slumped into a folding chair she had down here for just that purpose. Resting her head in her hands, she asked herself, as she had every day for the past three years, why she even had that photo still up there…

And then she would remember that at one time, they were her friends…

She was, however, caught off guard when a brilliant flash from the mirror lit up the room. She was up in an instant, kunai out and pointed at whoever dared to come through… and saw, once the light had faded…a small child, probably no more than three.

The young girl was long and straight as a pin, and silver. Her eyes were round and innocent looking and her skin was tanned, indicating she was out in the sun a lot-she had a sort of tomboyish air about her. Something curious, though, was the fact that she had birthmarks on her face-something similar to whiskers, like Naruto had. Also, when she saw the kunai pointed at her…

Her eyes turned yellow from fright.

Michelle knew precisely whose child this was.

She dropped the kunai and, kneeling in front of the girl, said in a soft voice "It's ok…I'm not going to hurt you. What's…what's your name?"

"S-Sienna…" said the young girl in a soft voice.

_"WHAT?" shouted the Hokage. "You've lost my daughter?" He stood up, his eyes burning with rage at the Jounin who had been assigned to protect her. "Forgive us Hokage-Sama…you know how your daughter is…she's…" The jounin said, trying to invent excuses. "Yeah…Sienna's a handful I know…" He ran a hand through his wild silver hair. "Just…Sey's gonna kill me."_

A/N-Soo…has everyone followed the time slip? About how this chapter is 5 years after the last one? Hope so…if not say so in your review and I will try to clarify for you. Oh and I have posted a one-shot in "Pieces of an Altered Reality." Check it out!

Review!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N-GOMEN NASAI! This chapter was ready last night but then my internet went down and i couldn't post it! I know this is a chapter that many reviewers have been anxiously awaiting. The one where…well read it and you'll find out. R&R! Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Duckichan87, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Kyiri Makrono, Emily-The-Elemental, Kagime and the Owl, Elemental Dragon2.0, Loku, simplee.azn, (glomp to two new reviewers), efay (glomp to 90th reviewer.). 10 MORE UNTIL 100 REVIEWS!... Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I no own.

Chapter 25

_"You lost…our daughter…our THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER… in Hokage Tower." Said the woman in a slow, deliberate voice, trying to process the information he had told her. The one with the title Hokage, uncomfortably nodded and avoided his wife's eyes…which were slowly turning a fiery red. _

_The explosion that occurred was heard through the streets of Konoha… "HOW COULD YOU? WHAT, WERE THERE GENIN WATCHING HER?" Yelled his wife, her own voice merging with the silky tones of her inner Demon as her eyes began to flame._

_Seeing Neko eyes taking shape on his wife's face, he leapt up and grabbed her arms firmly. "Calm Down Seyann. I've already gotten my best ANBU looking for her…" the woman managed to calm down and slumped into her husband's desk chair as her eyes turned back to normal. "Ok…I'm going to summon Mika here from Suna…Kakashi…just…find her please."_

Michelle set a cup filled with milk down in front of the young girl who looked so much like the friends she hadn't seen in so long. She snatched up the glass and began to drink greedily…almost lapping up the milk…

Like a cat.

She had never heard of this happening in the show but then again, none of the demon vessels, on the show, at least, had ever had children. Could it be possible that…part, or maybe even all of Celina had transferred into this little girl…if for nothing else except protection?

"Sienna?" Asked Michelle softly. The young girl looked up at her with silver eyes…she was definitely her mothers daughter. "Yes Michelle-san?" Asked the young girl in an innocent voice. "Do you…have Celina in you?" The young girl stopped drinking the milk and looked at the older woman, a confused look in her eyes. "How do you know about her?" Michelle smiled. "I knew your mommy a long time ago. Can I…talk to her?"

"Mommy and Daddy told me never to let Celina out unless I was in danger." Michelle wrinkled her forehead. "Well I have something really important to ask her…can you please let me talk to her?" Sienna nodded and closed her eyes.

When she had opened them, her pupils had become slits. "Mi…Michelle…is that you?" Came the silky voice of Celina-an odd thing to hear coming from a 3 year old girl.

"Yeah it's me…" Some of Michelle's bitterness slipped into her voice for her next statement. "It's been five years…I'm not even sure I recognize myself anymore but it's me. Care to explain what's all happened over there?"

The Neko demon was caught off guard by the bitterness in Michelle's voice but decided to put off asking about it until later-right now she would fill the half-Uchiha in on everything that had occurred.

"Well…It wasn't just Mika and Seyann that got married that day…pretty much everyone did. Naruto married Hinata and they have a son named Kame. He looks a lot like his father with the messy blonde hair and the blue eyes except…he got Hinata's bloodline trait, the Byakkugan so he has no pupils." Michelle let out a sound between a chuckle and a snort. "Well that must look odd."

Celina made Sienna's head nod before continuing. "Sakura and Sasuke have a son as well. I should mention that, before their son was born, word reached the village that the Akatsuki had disbanded. Your elder cousin, Itachi had come back to the village, full of remorse for what he had done to the Uchiha clan. No one really believed him at the time but when he committed suicide…well that kind of convinced everyone. In honor of his older brother the relationship they had had before the massacre he named his son Itachi. The newest addition to the dwindled Uchiha clan has pupil less green eyes and straight black hair. Sasuke suspects that he has the Sharingan because he has no pupils but we're not sure yet."

Celina paused to take a breath and sent a smirking look at Michelle. "Are you following all this?" "Naruto and Hinata have a son, I have a baby cousin. Keep going…you know as well as I do you're not at the people I want to hear the most about." Celina nodded and kept going.

"Mika and Gaara have a daughter named Keiko. She has her mother's long black hair streaked with her father's blood red hair, giving her an…odd look to say the least. Her eyes are an almond shape and hazel. As it happened with Sienna, Keiko had a fragment of Shukaku passed to her…just enough chakra to protect her in the case of emergencies. Because of this she is showing her fathers abilities to control sand and since Gaara is now Kazekage, they live in Suna. I believe, at this point, Mika is also pregnant again."

Taking another labored breath-Michelle could see how hard it was for her to remain on the surface and said "Go as fast as you can, I can tell this is giving you strain." Celina gave her a grateful look and said, "Finally, this child…is the daughter of The Hokage-Kakashi-and Seyann, named Sienna. As you can see with your own eyes, she has her father's silver hair but her mother's straightness as well as her mother's trait for emotions. She also has a fragm ent of me in for protection…but having me up is really draining her chakra…" with that being said Sienna's body suddenly pulsed and the three year old slumped over in her chair.

Michelle leapt forward and caught her before she fell off the chair. The small girl stirred in her arms and said "I'm sorry Michelle-san…that always happens when I bring out Celina." Michelle smiled-her first real one in years and said "That's ok Sienna. I pushed you too hard." She reached into a small pouch at her back and pulled out a small pill. "Do you know what this is?" Sienna nodded. "Here take it…To revitalize your Chakra." The small child obliged and perked up as soon as the revitalizer took effect. She was, however, still tired so Michelle took her down to the spare room and set her down gently the bed, pulling the blankets up over her head.

_The Jounin walked into the Mirror Room that only the Hokage and select Jounin…such as himself…knew about. His pale violet eyes scanned the room critically looking for something out of order…something not right._ _He found it…a small butterfly shaped barrette lying askew on the floor. "Oh no…" he murmured, totally in his attack mode as he looked through the gilt mirror that hung on the wall. "That mischievous child…she didn't… She went through the mirror." With a running leap, he passed through the portal in one fluid motion._

_His surroundings on the other side were completely unfamiliar. There were many punching bags in the room, all appearing to be well used. A wall was lined with various Shuriken and Kunai. "What kind of person lives here?" _

Her keenly honed senses had picked up a foreign chakra the second it had entered her home. Reaching down to her kunai holster she whipped one out and positioned it in front of her face for protection….

Even if Sienna's mother had basically ignored her friend for the past three years…she would still protect the daughter.

Her body tensed as she heard footsteps on the stairs…coming towards her…suddenly, the door blew off of it's hinges, sending her flying backwards. She recovered herself quickly and tensed as a figure leapt out of the dust from the explosion. This allowed her to, finally, see her assailant's face.

She saw blank light violet eyes, set on a pale face, forehead protector worn on the…forehead. His long brown hair was pulled back into a partial ponytail and a scar was on his cheek from a previous battle but other than that…he was perfect.

If Michelle weren't so finely trained, she probably would've swooned. Because she recognized that face right away.

He lifted a kunai up to his face and tensed for battle.

She had, of course, when she was younger, watched 'Naruto'… aside from Gaara, he had been her favorite child. She knew who this Jounin was, the instant she saw him.

"Hyuuga Neji" she whispered under her breath.

A/N-There you go…Neji is finally in the story…it only took 25 chapters! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. OH! Just so you guys know, a friend of mine, the one who Michelle is modeled after, is an excellent drawer and she drew several scenes from the story. The ones I have right now, ready to go are from when Seyann transformed into Celina for the first time and a short one from when Mika and Gaara were just getting together. If you want me to send you the comics, just give me your e-mail via PM and I'll send it to you!

Review!


	26. Chapter 26

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed Chapter 25 (I'm sure more people will but these people have reviewed it thus far) Emily-The-Elemental, Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87 and efay. READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer-I don't own

Chapter 26

"Where is the daughter of Lord Hokage?" Snarled Neji quietly, his lavender eyes narrowed, a dangerous spark in them. Michelle tensed and positioned a kunai in front of her pale face ready for battling. "She's sleeping in a _locked_ room…you aren't going go go near her." Her mistrust of the ninja was obvious…being alone for so long had made her think that everyone was her enemy.

Neji let out a dry chuckle with this remark. "Tell me something then. Why would her captor…_be trying to protect her_?" He yelled, leaping forward, Byakkugan activating, loose strands of hair whirling around his face. Michelle was caught off guard but only for a moment and she sidestepped the Hyuuga's attempts to punch her in the stomach, causing his fist to land in her wall instead.

Neji spun his head, surprised. Not many people could dodge his attacks. Narrowing his eyes, he powered his hand up for the Jyuken. As he plunged his hand towards her chest Michelle's obsidian eyes narrowed and she spun out of the way. As she spun, she grabbed his wrist and wrenched it behind his back, slamming him into the wall he had just punched, face first.

"So…you're not that bad as a ninja." Said Neji, his talking somewhat stunted because of the pressure on his chest. "I've been training…5 years…it's all I've had to do. And I spar with foreign ninja all the time…and if I don't win, I die." She twisted his arm until he grunted with pain. "And I also don't take lightly to people to people coming into my home and just point blank attacking me without me having provoked them in any way." She leaned in closer so that she was close to Neji's ear. In a whisper, she continued "And I didn't capture her…she came through the mirror. And I'm not…." She spun him around so that he was facing the open room and gave him a sharp, hard kick in his back, sending him flying forward. "Handing her over to you!" she said, her voice rising with each syllable. He crashed against the far wall but was up again faster than lightning, poised to fight.

"How do I know that you aren't some enemy of Konoha? Someone who would use the daughter of my friend…and you're using a transformation jutsu to throw me off?" Asked Michelle. "The daughter of your friend? What do you mean?"

Michelle looked him in the eye. "Perhaps you have heard the stories. About the three Kunoichi who lived in this world…" He looked at her warily. "Yes…Lady Seyann and Lady Mika, wives of the Hokage and Kazekage respectively. What about them." "…Do the stories ever tell about what happened to the third girl?" She said, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Yes…Uchiha Michelle chose to stay here…" his eyes widened in sudden realization. "You…." Even as he said this, her Sharingan snapped to life. "Well there goes your theory about me being an enemy nin…you'd see right through my jutsu."

Michelle had to admit that he was right. But this didn't throw her off. Before she spoke, however, Neji continued…with a smirk on her face. "Some friend you turned out to be…holding her daughter hostage." Michelle almost growled in frustration. "You just don't get it do you?" Faster than Neji could blink, he was pinned to the wall by two kunai. Before he could get out of their hold, Michelle was in front of him, her red eyes boring into his own violet ones. She grabbed a fistful of his collar and glared at him.

"It's not hostage holding…call it three years of overdue babysitting. Because, you know, the stories are true. I've been alone for three years. Three damn years. And then I meet their daughter? Something tells me I've missed a big part of my friends lives."

She twisted his shirt further to the point that he was almost choking. "That girl is probably one of the reasons I haven't seen them. Three years on my own turned me into a cold shell of what I was." She reflected on her words. "In that case…I guess you could say that she's a kind of hostage…but all I want is to see my friends again." She yanked the kunai that were driven deep into the wall out and dragged him down the stairs to the basement.

She paused in front of the mirror to pick up a scroll from the small pile beside some training equipment. "When you go back…tell them this. Tell the Hokage that I will only give Sienna back to her mother."

With that being said, she threw him head first through the portal. She could see him recovering on the other side and before he could fully recover, she opened the scroll and put a seal on the portal so that no one could pass through until she removed it. Turning her back on the Hyuuga she walked back up the stairs, as though the fight hadn't happened…. except her living room was trashed.

The first thing she did was go to the spare room where Sienna was. Sweeping her hair back into a ponytail as she went, she opened the unlocked door only to see the young girl kneeling on the bed, comforter wrapped around her shoulders. Seeing this, Michelle abandoned her pursuit with her hair and put the scrunchie back on her wrist. "Sienna are you ok?" The young girl nodded. "I just got scared…I heard fighting…" Michelle sat down on the bed and reached out to stroke the young girl's hair comfortingly. "I won't let anyone hurt you kay?" The three-year-old nodded and snuggled into Michelle's body going back to sleep.

Neji stood in front of the worried Hokage and his Wife. The Lady Mika was there as well, more subdued than she usually was, her daughter sitting quietly on her knee. Kakashi had taken his hat off and was twisting it in his hands; such was his worry for his daughter. Seyann was slumped in his chair, exhausted from her anxiousness. Her blank eyes stared at the Jounin in front of her. "You…found her…you found our daughter…Sienna?" she said in a relieved voice. Neji nodded. "Where…is she?" "She was taken a hostage…of sorts. Firstly she found the mirror…the girl on the other side…Uchiha Michelle…she has your daughter."

Mika leapt up with a startled cry and Seyann's eyes widened to an impossible diameter. Kakashi looked down and away from the girls, ashamed at the way they had found out. Seyann looked at her husband, a mixture of fury and hurt in her eyes. "Three years ago the mirror that Mika and myself used to communicate with Michelle went missing…no explanation, no clues…no traces. You became Hokage a year and a half ago. THE MIRROR WAS IN HOKAGE TOWER THE WHOLE TIME AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?" Seyann raged, her temper coming to a boil.

Neji flinched-Lady Seyann's explosions were legendary. "What…about your daughter milady?" He asked cautiously. She seemed to calm down almost instantly-like she had turned the temper off like a tap. "Oh…as long as she's with Michelle she's safe. If she knows she's my daughter, she won't let anything happen to her." Her face once again contorted with rage as she faced her husband again.

It took about an hour but eventually she heard voices in the basement. Going into the other room where the young girl was fast asleep, she gently shook her into wakefulness. "Sienna." She said in a soft voice. "I think your mommy and daddy are here to get you." The young girl rubbed her blurry eyes and said in a soft voice "M…mommy?" Michelle nodded, causing the girl to roll out of bed and make a run for the basement. Michelle followed at a slower pace, her black hair blowing slightly behind her.

"MOMMY!" The shriek was so lout it almost hurt Michelle's ears. "Oh baby I'm so glad to see you…"

She knew that voice. She'd heard it every single day for most of her life. She started to shake almost uncontrollably.

"Michelle-San! Come meet my mommy!" said Sienna from where she had ran back to the base of the stairs. Michelle took one trembling step down the stairs, followed by another one and another one…

She could barely stand straight. Then…she was at the bottom.

Her long black hair was tied up-she had done that after Sienna had fallen back asleep, to cool herself down from her fight with Neji. Therefore, her peripheral vision was perfect and she saw…

She saw two people she hadn't seen in a year and a half looking as they had when she had last seen them.

Seyann was still tall and thin and her hair was still pin straight and dirty blonde. Her eyes were an indeterminate color, indicating apprehension. Mika had cut her hair shorter than it had been, to just below her shoulders, but it was still black which contrasted her hazel eyes. A small girl huddled behind her knees…. her daughter…. was it Keiko?

The tears that were welling up in their respective eyes were evident as she made complete eye contact with her friends for the first time in three years.

Michelle slowly stepped forward and placed a hand on the mirror merely staring at her friends. Finally, after what seemed like eons, she raised two fingers in front of her face and, muttering a jutsu, unsealed the portal. As soon as she was done it took all of two seconds for her friends to charge through the mirror and engulf her in a bone-crushing hug. "We…we've missed you so much…" said Mika in a hoarse voice. "You have no idea."

Even though it was reflex for her to wrap her arms around her friends, she forced herself to stay rigid in their hold. "How can you expect me to just welcome you back with open arms after…you left me alone for three years?" She asked, trying to extract herself from their grasp, twisting this way and that-to no avail.

"It wasn't our fault 'Chelle." Hearing their old nickname for her almost made her break down and sob. "Tsunade…for whatever reason, decided to hide the mirror…we believe that she wanted us to start to forget you and draw closer to life in Konoha and Suna. I'm in the process of chewing out my husband for not telling me when he became Hokage. Kakashi claimed that Tsunade made him swear not to tell me before she died. He's going to be sleeping on the couch tonight." At this Michelle couldn't help it. She giggled slightly.

"You guys haven't changed a bit." She said softly. Finally, she succumbed to what she had wanted to do since she saw them. A tear leaked out of first one eye and then the other and she lifted her arms and wrapped them around her friends for the first time in three years. Tears started to fall rapidly and she buried her face in Mika's shoulder and began to sob. "I…I have you back…" She uttered between her sobs.

Seyann rubbed Michelle's back comfortingly. She and Mika could only imagine how lonely their friend must've been.

Once the crying let up and Michelle had been introduced to Keiki, the girls sat on the steps and began to talk. "Now, Kakashi wants to see Sienna so we can't stay that long…not near long enough to tell you everything that's happened…But I can tell you this." Said Seyann. She paused to take a slow breath. "Tsunade was the one who said you could never have another chance to make the choice. Kakashi has revoked that decision…and even if he hadn't I would've made him. You have another chance…"

Mika interrupted "What Seyann is trying to say is…Kakashi's offering you the chance to change your mind. You have the choice again…to stay with us."

The breath left her lungs. She never thought she'd be offered this choice again…

"I'll think it over and let you know my decision by tomorrow. Believe it or not, I'm still not sure… what I want to do." Seyann nodded and said "Ok…well we need to go back for now…believe me, I will not let my husband do what Tsunade did. I guarantee we will speak to each other again."

Sienna ran over to Michelle from her place by the mirror and wrapped her arms around the Uchiha's legs. "I'll see you soon…Michelle-san." Michelle disentangled herself from the little girl and knelt down. "Call me Aunt Michelle…you too Keiko." The little black and red haired girl nodded timidly.

Michelle gave her friends one last fierce hug before they returned to their home, leaving the black haired, pale skinned girl to her thoughts.

She hadn't made this decision easy five years ago because of her family. Then, when Tsunade offered it to her again she had turned it down because of memories. Those memories remained.

And it was because of these memories that…she still felt she couldn't leave.

A/N-There you go. Hope y'all enjoyed…There will be a one-shotin 'Pieces' about the reasons for Tsunade's insane move and Mika and Seyann's reaction to it. Enjoy!

Review!


	27. Chapter 27

A/N-YOSH! THE STORY HAS OVER 100 REVIEWS! Glomps to my reviewers…thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-WhiteStarburst (glomps for new reviewer), Emily-the-elemental, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Loku, Kyiri Makrono, and Duckichan87. Just so you guys know, there is a little violence in this chapter.

Disclaimer-I don't own.

Chapter 27

Her favorite assassin katana was tucked into her belt as she sat on her normal location for lookout- the roof of a tall apartment building, one that she could see the entire city from. Her senses were on high alert and she was aware of everything moving around her. As the sun sank below the horizon and activity died as the neighborhood went to sleep, she lowered her guard and began to think.

She was being offered the chance of a lifetime…again. She pondered this, as she reclined against her roof into a laying down position, and considered all the pros and cons for staying in this world. Pro-She had a home here as well as some friends here.

Con-All her friend as well as her last remaining family was over there.

Pro-…she realized at this that there were no more pros to staying here…only cons.

But her parents…they were still here…all her memories…. she clung to them like an old blanket, refusing to release them. She sat up and drew her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on the top of her knees. "What am I going to do?" She asked herself softly

He stood in the shadows of the rooftop, his ANBU costume dancing in the breeze. Hokage-Sama had assigned him to guard his wife's friend. While she was an excellent ninja, Kakashi knew this girl too well…she too could allow emotions to get in the way of her battling abilities.

He had to wonder though…why him? But that didn't matter. He made sure his mask was firmly attached to his face…it wouldn't do to have her recognize him…he uttered a silent prayer of thanks that the mask changed the way his voice sounded.

From the first second when he had seen her defending Sienna, when it became obvious that she would defend the girl with her life…he found this odd because, to the extent of his knowledge, she had never met the Hokgae's daughter before this.

Then he found out who she was…the third foreign Kunoichi, the missing one, Michelle Uchiha. He also found out…he rubbed his shoulder, stiff from where she had been twisting it…that she was one hell of a fighter. She had pinned him…_him_ with merely three kunai and her bare hands. If she stayed here, Konoha would be losing out.

He suspected that Hokage had told him to protect her in the hopes that he would persuade her to come back…not that he minded…

He wanted to get to know this girl better.

Coming out of her revere, she glanced around at the neighborhood, making sure that everything was still ok, sliding her obsidian eyes this way and that. Her black hair danced on the breeze as she closed her eyes and sent out her chakra, sensing for anything amiss. Eyes suddenly shot open as she leapt up and yanked a kunai out of her holster, pointing it at the shadows behind her. "Don't think I don't know you're there…" she threw the knife at the person hiding in the shadows and heard it thunk against the wall.

A person-male-stepped out of the shadows, twirling her kunai in his hands. He was dressed in a leaf village ANBU costume, indicating where he was from. He threw the kunai into the roof at her feet, saying, "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

She was still, however, wary. "Are you rouge?" She said, keeping her eye on him as she bent over and wrenched the sharp weapon out of the roof. "My allegiances are to Hokage-Sama, as they always have been."

Satisfied, to a point, she sat back down, sliding the Kunai into her sleeve, just in case. "I hope you're not tricking me…I'll feel sorry for you if you are." She said, before indicating he should sit on the roof beside her. "So why are you here?"

"Lady Seyann was worried about you so she asked her husband to send an ANBU to protect you." Michelle rolled her eyes. "That's just like her… I'll bet you anything…this is how it is." She slid her obsidian eyes over to the figure beside her. "She thinks that because I'm making my decision…I won't be able to fight as well. The truth is when they left me and my emotions were on high…that's when I did most of my best fighting. It's like…my emotions were my chakra and because they…were so high…I had more power than ever."

"Well at least I know you aren't here defenseless…you sensed me way before I intended you to." Said the ANBU in a dry voice. Michelle gave a sarcastic laugh and said, "Do I look like an idiot-honestly-to you?" The ANBU laughed and said "No…I guess not."

Michelle let out a half smile before dropping her face to a contemplative expression. "The reason…she sent you…the reason I am so emotionally…shall we say unstable? Right now…I just need…someone to talk…hmm?" She jerked her head around and leapt up, drawing her katana in one fluid movement. "Michelle-san…what's going on?" She shifted her eyes from side to side. "Don't you sense it?"

And suddenly he did. He was up too, tense for battle. "Ahh…so the lone guard has a friend. How sweet." Michelle tensed. "I've been hunting this guy for a while." She muttered to the ANBU. "He always manages to either leave me bleeding on some roof top-but never kills me-or runs away. And he's never told me his name."

The foreign nin stepped out of the shadows where the ANBU had come from. "Well…now that you have some help, maybe I might have a challenge." With that he leap forward, forming hand seals as he came. "MOVE!" Michelle shoved the ANBU in the other direction as she got out of the way of the blades of air that came towards them. "You always start with the same move. So predictable."

The foreign nin smirked. "Well what's the fun in starting out with something that will kill you right away?" Michelle narrowed her eyes, Sharingan turning on. "Well if that's the case…than I can predict exactly what you are going to do next." As such, she leapt backwards as the ninja leapt forward again, slashing with a kunai. Putting chakra into her limbs, she ran over to where the ANBU stood, looking amazed. "You fight him the exact same way each time and you still can't beat him?"

Michelle never took her eyes off of the enemy. "No…not the exact same way. He always throws in something different." She positioned her katana in front of her. "And the last time he attacked me…I'm surprised I survived. If I lose the upper hand…he won't be merciful this time…the only way one of us is leaving this battle is dead."

"But you're not fighting alone this time. My assignment is to protect you…and I will die fulfilling it." He said, raising two fingers in front of his mask. Michelle smirked. "Well I could use the help…but if we get the upper hand…I get his life. This guy's ticked me off too many times for me to just let a random ANBU kill him. But…since I have someone else now…I have a plan." She lowered her voice to murmur it to the ANBU.

He nodded and they both leapt at the nin at the same time.

The enemy narrowed his eyes, a smirk on his face. This would be perfect. This ANBU… she would be worried about him. Which meant that she would be less on her guard. So, the first thing he did, was subtly slide a kunai into his hand and wait.

Her suspicions were aroused. He wasn't attacking…he was merely waiting. Her eyes widened with horror as she realized what the enemy was going to do…he had almost skewered her liver with this move. "Wait!" She called to the ANBU but it was too late. He already had too much momentum and was too close to the enemy to stop. He let out a grunt of pain as the kunai dug into his midriff, before collapsing onto the enemy's arm.

The enemy twisted the kunai out of the ANBU's gut, throwing the ninja to the ground while the ANBU held his stomach, blood gushing out from the wound.

Michelle's eyes were wide with shock, her katana point on the rooftop, blade threatening to fall out of her hand. Her fist, however, clenched around the handle as her anger grew. "Ok…it's official. You're a dead man. That ninja was sent by a friend to protect me…" with a cry, Michelle charged the enemy, raising her sword above her head.

"But Uchiha, how do you intend to fight me when your emotions are controlling your body?" Her eyes narrowed. "You weren't around to fight me when my emotions were at their highest then…"

She launched a kick at the enemy, still holding her sword above her head. When he went to reach out take her leg and throw her, she swung her sword down, not giving him time to move, and glanced the blade off of his forearm, catching him offguard. When she landed, she had a second for recovery before lowering her sword and running back towards him.

He was angry now. She had actually managed to get blood drawn. As she rushed towards him, he preformed two hand seals that were a Jutsu he had created just to kill this girl. The chakra that ebbed out of his body wrapped around his hands and made them start to glow. This made his face glow eerily.

Michelle landed on the rooftop, gasping for breath. This new Jutsu of his was powerful…she wouldn't be able to take another hit…and it seemed that he didn't want to kill her so crassly. He powered down his Jutsu and sauntered towards the limp Kunoichi. "Well…so much for the Uchiha." He slid out a kunai and flipped her limp body. She just stared up at him, a hateful look in her eyes. He straddled her body, swinging the kunai back to kill her. Suddenly, she smiled, a smirk more than a smile…

And her body turned to leaves beneath him. "Substitution!" He snarled.

Suddenly, something tackled him from the side, causing him to go flying and land, in a heap on the rooftop. As he struggled to regain his footing, he saw, standing where he had been…the ANBU. His eyes widened as he looked towards where the ANBU's body had been…where there was a pile of leaves as well.

From behind him and above him, he heard the swish of a sword. Looking back, he started to tremble with fear.

Michelle Uchiha stood there, hair forming a black curtain over part of her face. The other half had a look on it that said 'You are a dead man.' The katana was held out to the side.

"Good-bye…" with one slash of the sword, the enemy nin breathed his last.

Using the sword as a crutch, she collapsed onto one knee. She panted, recovering her breath and, as she did, she looked at the ANBU. "Well…so much for sticking with the plan." She said wryly. "Why did you tackle him?" "Because your substitution faded early." She nodded. "Smart."

She sheathed her katana and they sat back down on the roof. "What I was saying before he came was…but first I want to thank you for helping me there…I probably would've died if you hadn't. But to continue…I hardly know you but…I need someone to talk to."

The ANBU cocked his head and said, "Well go ahead. Talk."

"The reason that Seyann wants me to be protected…is because I have to make a hard decision and it's weighing on me…she thinks that my emotions will slow me down in battle." "What's the decision."

She looked over at him. "To stay here or go back to where you're from."

The ANBU let out a dry chuckle. "Well that sounds like a no brainer. You have nothing here. Even I can attest to that." Michelle shook her head. "You don't understand. My life is here. I'd start over again if I left."

"So you start over. You have friends in that world, as well as family. And before you say anything…I've heard the stories…about how your parents were killed. About how you were almost killed as well and the guilt that you feel for having survived drove you to stay here…." Michelle interrupted the ANBU, saying "That part's not entirely true…I never felt guilty about surviving…I knew I had no say in that."

The ANBU continued, appearing to have not heard her. "Have the Hokage erect some sort of memorial for your parents you could go and remember…that way you still have a place that you can remember them in."

This made perfect sense to Michelle and she wondered why she hadn't thought about it earlier. And because of this, in a moment of perfect clarity, she knew what she had to do.

She no longer belonged in this place.

"Thank you." She said in a sincere voice to the ANBU. "Come on!" Putting chakra into her feet, she leapt off of the building to the next one, until she was home. Barreling through the front door as if it wasn't there, she raced down the stairs into the basement.

She only paused momentarily in front of the mirror to look around her training room. "What's wrong?" Asked the ANBU. "Nothing…just nostalgic." The Kunoichi then proceeded to grab a photo that hung next to the mirror before leaping through for the first time.

Two ANBU flanked the door of the mirror room, when they heard a commotion inside. Running inside, they took in the scene. One of their own was helping a black haired girl to her feet, while she coughed and sputtered from liquid-like plasma of the portal. Looking up she caught sight of the masked ninja.

Flashing a smile she asked in a breathless voice "Hey…can you please tell the Hokage's wife that she has a visitor?"

A/N-I should tell you readers that when I wrote out this chapter to begin with…there was no fight sequence in it. I wrote it spur of the moment…tell me what you think about it.

Also, tomorrow (or today…today being the 17th of July, depending on when you read this), if I have time I will be writing a one-shot that would have an interaction between Michelle and this enemy ninja from earlier…as well as the next chapter.

Review!


	28. Chapter 28

A/N- Gomen. I was going to update last night but when I got back from Pirates of the Caribbean, we had a thunderstorm and the power blipped so I couldn't update…plus my laptop was only at half juice so I only managed to type out the one-shot, I've been on the computer for the past…three hours? Typing this out. Hope you like… thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter-Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Whitestarburst, Elemental Dragon2.0, simplee.azn and Daewen98. Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't Own.

Chapter 28

"What? What did you just say?" Said the Hokage's wife in a breathless voice. Her husband was tucking their sleeping daughter onto the couch but he stopped to look sharply at the ANBU. "A visitor?" he said, an eyebrow raised. Where did he come from?" "Not a he, Hokage-Sama…a she. And she came out of the mirror." Seyann's shocked eyes widened and she raced out of the room, up the stairs. "Sey…" he started to call after her and he stopped and shrugged. "I guess…it's been too long since she saw her friend.

"Michelle!" shrieked Seyann as she pelted up the stairs. Said girl walked out of the mirror room and stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at her friend. "Seya…" she was cut off when her chakra powered friend slammed into her body. Michelle landed on the ground and gasped for breath. "Ummm…Seyann…you're crushing my ribs." Her friend leapt off of her and helped her to her feet but after doing this she wrapped her arms around her in an equally bone crushing hug. "Now you're pulling my hair out." She said dryly. But then she smiled and wrapped her arms around Seyann as well.

Neither noticed the ANBU slip past and go to join Kakashi's guard that was coming up the stairs behind the Hokage himself, who bore his sleeping daughter in his arms.

"Michelle I'm so glad you decided to come over here…" Whispered Seyann, releasing her friend and linking their arms. "Hey Kakashi…or should I say Hokage-Sama?" Kakashi seemed to contemplate this for a moment before Seyann answered for him, sending a Look in his direction. "No. Kakashi is fine."

Seyann and Michelle walked down the stairs arm in arm with Kakashi and his honor guard behind them.

"So…what changed your mind…why did you come." "Well…the ANBU you sent to protect me not only helped save my life but he also was the one who persuaded me to come over." Seyann quirked an eyebrow. "Saved your life?"

Michelle gave a nervous laugh before saying "Long story. Anyways…he persuaded me to come over…I actually have to thank him properly." Michelle disentangled herself from Seyann's arm and turned around. "Can I speak with one of your ANBU guard for a moment Kakashi?" When the Hokage had given his consent, Michelle jerked her head to a side room and the ANBU who had come to meet her followed her into the conference room.

"I…I never really got a chance to truly thank you. If you hadn't come when you had, not only would he have more than likely killed me but I was at a point where I was going to chose to stay…if he didn't kill me because I knew I couldn't fight him on my own." The ANBU nodded once and said in a passive but friendly voice "You're welcome. I'm glad you realized that there was nothing left for you back there."

Michelle smiled. "You know…I really enjoy talking to you and you seem very good at giving advice. Would you like to meet me on the roof of wherever I'm staying so we can talk some more?" The ANBU nodded and (she could only assume based on his voice) smiled slightly. "I'd like that."

Michelle walked out of the conference room and went back to her friends only to discover that Kakashi had sent an ANBU to the place where Mika was staying in Konoha and her other friend was there…it was sort of a repeat of when Seyann had discovered that her friend was staying in this world-quite a bit of pain on Michelle's part but as a consolation she got to see her friend again.

The ANBU was left in the room with his thoughts. And he had only one, which he voice out loud. "I wonder what she'll think of me when she finds out who I am…" he murmured as he removed his mask and violet eyes looked at the spot that she had just vacated.

After all the hype had died down (because it was still, at this time, around 12 AM in the morning,) Kakashi showed Michelle a place where she could sleep until her dorm was ready because she just looked so utterly exhausted. Seyann and Mika decided to give the kids to Kakashi to baby sit and they slept in the room with Michelle, almost scared that if they let the Uchiha out of their sight, it would merely be a dream.

However when they woke up the next morning and saw her lying on the bed, black hair fanned out on the white pillow they exchanged a happy look. Seyann snuck over to where she had set up her bed and lifted her pillow, Mika following suit.

Michelle was enjoying a nice dream that was centered around her and a nice long walk in the woods when something slammed down on her face. She leapt up, startled and reaching for her katana…that wasn't there. She looked up sharply around for whoever it had done that…

Only to have a feather land on her nose.

She narrowed her eyes and looked at Seyann and Mika who stood in front of her, pillows in hand, smirks on face. "Ha. Ha." She said, brushing the feather off of the tip of her nose. She scooped up her own pillow and threw it at her friends…it didn't take long for a full-blown pillow fight to occur.

Later on that day Michelle had her first Ramen…and she was torn about it. "I don't know. It's got this salty taste, which I don't really like but other than, that it's awesome. But Ramen aside, you guys have got to catch me up on everything that's been happening here." Seyann smiled. "First we have someone who wants to see you."

Into the ramen hut walked her cousin…Sasuke. Her eyes lit up and Seyann waved him over. "Sasuke over here." He walked by Michelle as though she wasn't there. "What is it you wanted to show me Lady Seyann." Michelle gave him a pointed glare as Seyann jerked her head in Michelle's direction.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw his cousin for the first time in 5 years. "Michelle…" he broke into one of his rare smiles, while giving her a tight hug. "It's good to see you again cousin. We need to spar sometime…I want to see how much you've improved. But right now I'm late for a meeting with your husband…I came out of my way to be here. I _will_ talk to you again 'Chelle." He said. Michelle could see happiness in his gaze before he left.

"Now I'm even happier that I came here." She said softly. "I can't believe I almost didn't. Now. Stories."

"Well…how about we start with when Seyann confirmed that she had Yashamaru's blood in her veins?" said Mika, thinking. Seyann rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me. I don't even call the bastard my father." Mika smiled. "Well what happened was…Gaara, for the longest time, didn't trust Seyann one iota because of …him. Finally…what happened was Seyann stormed to Suna and confronted him. After that…it took a little while and I helped but he trusts her now."

While they had been talking Hyuuga Neji had come and sat down at the Ramen bar a few chairs away from the three girls. Michelle glanced over at him in disgust before turning back to her friends. She noted smugly to herself that he had a bruise on his face, she could only assume from where she had slammed him into the wall.

Michelle laughed and said to Mika "Only your husband would be stubborn enough not to trust you based on who their father was." At the word father, Michelle eyeballed Mika's as of yet flat stomach. She saw the look that Michelle gave her and placed a hand on her belly. "Umm…I don't know how you found out…but yes…judging by the look you gave me you know that I am pregnant again." The two friends smiled and hugged their friend only to have a semi-sarcastic voice go "How sentimental." Michelle turned around and glanced behind her into Hyuuga's violet eyes…the one who had attacked her the previous day.

"Neji I don't believe you've been properly introduced to my friend Michelle. This is…" Michelle interrupted glaring at the Jounin. "Yes we've met." She said in a cold voice.Turning to Seyann and pointedly ignoring Neji, she breathed "That Jerk." She breathed "Attacked me at my house yesterday because he thought I had kidnapped your daughter."

Seyann narrowed her eyes and looked over at the Hyuuga. He had a kind of depressed/ thinking look on his face mixed with a bit of remorse when she had told Sey about the attack, which got Seyann to thinking.

They'd make a cute couple.

She hadn't gotten the chance to play matchmaker in _years_.

Later that night Michelle sat on the roof of the dorm that had been prepared for her…old habits die extremely hard. But she wasn't in a place that would be attacked…so she didn't have her guard up. However when the ANBU dropped onto the roof she was sort of prepared.

"I didn't think you were gonna come." She said with a smile on her face. "I said I would did I not?" said the ANBU in a quiet voice. He strolled over and sat down beside her. "So what do you want to talk about?" He asked.

She closed her obsidian eyes. "Everything. I'll tell you my own story…and you tell me yours."

She opened her eyes and gave him a smirk. "Just don't tell me your name…I like the mystery of it all."

They talked until the sun came up.

A/N-Hey! Hope you guys liked this chapter! I think I'm going to write a one-shot that shows the whole clash between Seyann and Gaara...not sure yet.

Review...!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N-Here's chapter 29. Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 28-Elemental Dragon2.0, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Duckichan87 and Kyiri Makrono. Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 29

It took about three months before Michelle had completely left behind her old life and acclimatized to Konoha. One by one she had severed her ties with the old world…starting with the matter of her neighbors. For her to simply disappear without a trace…that would lead to months of investigation and the like and would be…messy to say the least.

Or there was the simple way.

It had helped, firstly, that her living room was trashed from her fight with the Hyuuga and that, since her training room was where she went when she was wounded to heal herself, there were a few small bloodstains here and there. She added to these by giving her arm a light slice and scattering her blood in random patterns. After healing her cut, she moved all of her training equipment to the Hokage tower, leaving an ordinary looking basement covered in blood. She asked her ANBU friend to come to her world temporarily and spar in her basement so that it would look like a struggle had taken place. Once this was done, she turned an empty box into a flesh and blood clone of herself, one that looked like it had been beaten and stabbed which used up a lot of her chakra. Once this was done…she called in her own murder, summoning the police to her house.

"I hate seeing myself like that." She muttered dryly to the ANBU as she looked at her replica body, which lay in a pool of blood in the middle of the floor. "Come on let's go."

Through the next week Michelle took some interest in watching the police solve her case…She watched as they carted out the fake body, watched as they collected as much trace evidence as they could…

Watched as they puzzled as to how a girl would be killed in a room locked from the inside. "That…was a lovely added touch 'Chelle. They will be puzzling about that for weeks." Smirked Seyann as they watched the 24/7 CSI show.

Her dorm that she had been assigned had belonged to Seyann and Mika before they had gotten married. Instead of the soft pink it had been when they had moved it, it had been repainted black with different random designs on the wall. In other words, it looked like someone had handed Mika and Seyann a bunch of paint and two paint bushes and they had just gone nuts.

She met her little cousin Itachi and was relieved that this Itachi was nothing like the first one…he was a sunny little boy with the Uchiha looks. She had also met Hinata and Naruto's son and had been enchanted by his clear pupiless blue eyes.

Hyuuga Neji, however was another matter. The secondary Hyuuga treated the young new immigrant like a speck of dirt, making no secret of his open dislike and mistrust of the Uchiha. When Michelle wasn't around high-ranking friends such as the Hokage, the Hokage's wife, Lady Mika or his cousin, the Head Hyuuga, Hinata…(in other words when she was alone) he would sneer at her and call her 'powerless' or 'foreign Kunoichi.' These sessions always then lead to her reminding him how she had beaten his sorry butt when they were in the other realm and more often than none had them almost come to blows with the Hyuuga.

Aside from that only negative in her life-being the Hyuuga which was counteracted by the rest of her friends and family- she was enjoying her life as a Kunoichi. She particularly was fond of her ANBU friend who she grew close to as she met with him. She had never asking him his name however…there was something alluring about the mystery.

"And so, when my parents died…I felt so horribly alone because my friends had already made the choice to leave while I stayed alone. Tsunade, had given me the choice of course, but I didn't want to interfere on the life that they were building. So I trained hard…I became as good as any ANBU." She said with a nod towards her friend. "But I'll have you know that my personality changed more than one would expect…you saw me that day when I was fighting that ninja…I killed him without batting an eye."

"But you're not like that now." Michelle looked up at her friend, smiling slightly. "No…I'm not like that now." Her eyes narrowed. "That's what I don't like about Hyuuga…what ticks me off the most…it's that he thinks I'm so powerless when, in a real fight I'd kill him. He calls me a foreign ninja when I am a legal ninja of Konoha." She didn't noticed the ANBU tense when she mentioned Neji. She pounded her hand against the roof in frustration. "Kakashi has also given me an assignment as an ANBU…I go on my first mission in a couple days-solo because I'm used to working alone."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked a tinge of fear on his voice. "Yeah I'll be fine…I know that this is a different fighting circumstances than what I'm used to but I have to get adjusted somehow." She glanced over at him, her black hair gleaming in the moonlight. "I'll see you when I get back…I'll be too busy to talk until then."

On an impulse Michelle wrapped her arms around her friend. He was tense in her arms temporarily until he relaxed and wrapped his own arms around her slender wiry frame. "I'll miss you until you get back."

Finally the time had come for her first mission, escorting an ambassador form Mist back home. Kumiko had come with an Mist ANBU honor guard however they had had to leave thus leaving Konoha with the responsibilities of getting her home safely.

It was perfect for Michelle's first mission.

As the girls walked along the path on the three-day journey to the Mist village, they discovered that they liked mostly the same things and were enjoying conversation about an interesting novel they had both read. Kumiko was describing how she thought the plot symbolized one thing while Michelle was convinced that the plot was something entirely different.

A rustling in the bushes startled her out of her conversation. She instantly was on alert and, turning on the Sharingan, she pulled a Kunai out of her holster as she stepped in front of Kumiko to protect her. Looking around she noticed something…odd.

One of the 'trees' was a ninja. "I see right through your genjutsu." She whispered and she threw the kunai right at the ninja.

He flipped out of the way and landed a few feet away from where the two girls were. "Heh…so you have a Sharingan." Michelle looked back at Kumiko and said, "Why is the first thing they always comment about the Sharingan? I don't get it." Turning back to the ninja, she noticed he had a Grass forehead protector. "Why are you attacking us I thought Grass and Leaf were aligned…it makes sense."

The ninja, who had a buzzed head and black eyes said "Oh they were…but the Hokage decided to talk with Mist about an alliance and he didn't renew the one between Grass and Leaf. So, if that girl dies in the protection of a Leaf ninja…I daresay it won't go over well."

Michelle narrowed her eyes. Kumiko watched as her friend turned from a friendly girl to the hard assassin. She formed rapid hand seals and did the Phoenix Flower Jutsu that Sasuke had taught for her. When he dodged them, Michelle decided to resort to Taijutsu before using the Chidori, which she could use, but it really drained her chakra. The fight went on for about an hour before she used it.

She missed.

With most of her Chakra exhausted, she landed on the ground on one knee, using her katana sheath as a crutch. "So…what am I going to do with you…you're almost out of chakra. When you die I'll finish the Mist ninja off."

In a final attempt to defend Kumiko, she struggled to her feet and drew her katana. This was an attack that she only used when she was in a no-win situation…she had used it several times against that bastard who had toyed with her. Closing her eyes, she turned off the Sharingan as she poured the remaining chakra into the blade. A light blue sheen surrounded the sword and she opened her eyes to glare at the Grass ninja.

"If…this doesn't get you…. I don't know what will." She murmured in pain as she twirled around and swung the sword in the ninja's direction…hard. The chakra fell off of her blade and flew in the direction of the ninja at lighting speed.

It was ideal for the blades of chakra to hit the ninja in his chest as to kill it…it hit his shoulder.

He smiled cruelly. "Time's up."

Michelle collapsed to the ground, very close to blacking out. She lolled her head on the ground. Ninja's, she discovered, were a lot tougher here than they were when she was an assassin. The ninja used a kunai and threw it at her body…She heard Kumiko scream.

A black blur landed in front of her…she knew him… but then she blacked out.

When she came to, Kumiko was bending over her with some medical supplies, healing her wounds. Upon seeing she was awake, she gave the half Uchiha a chakra pill so she could move. She tried to sit up but still couldn't. Lying a few feet away was the body of the grass ninja.

Rolling her head around to take in her surroundings she caught sight of the back of a figure. "Who…" she said in a thick, groggy voice. He turned around and she saw…. a Konoha ANBU mask.

"Welcome back 'Chelle." He said, in a clearly relieved voice.

A/N-With this chapter I have put a one-shot in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality' about Seyann and Gaara's family relationship. Check it out...I actually like how this one turned out!

Review!


	30. Chapter 30

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Kyiri Makrono, Elemental Dragon2.0, Duckichan87, Yargy the Pirate Queen, and WhiteStarburst. Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 30

As the chakra pill took effect, aided with Kumiko, Michelle sat up from her makeshift bed on the forest floor; hair studded with small twigs and dried leaves, which Kumiko brushed out of her hair. As she collected her bearings and looked around she noticed the body of a grass ninja lying a few feet away, pierced by strategically placed Kunai.

As she continued to look around the clearing as she remembered what had happened, she noticed…a figure standing just behind some trees, bent over examining some shrub. When he stood up and turned around, the rest of her memories of what had just happened rushed back and she got to her feet indignantly, albeit unsteadily.

Marching over to where the ANBU was gathering kindling to take for a fire later, she tapped him on the shoulder. He straightened up and turned around, saying as he went "Don't do too much yet…" he trailed off when he saw the angry glint in her eyes. "Why did you follow me…why are you here?" she asked in a deceptively calm but chilly voice…. he could, however, tell that she was severely ticked off.

Breathing in and preparing for the worst, he answered her question. "I was of the personal belief that you weren't ready for a mission like this…a solo escort. You're a good ninja but when you know the turf like you did the old world…here you need a bit of work. But you have to admit that I'm right…if I hadn't followed you you'd be dead."

"I see…so you're calling me weak is that it?" she asked coolly. She was friends with him…but even with Mika and Seyann she was like this…they knew to never call her weak. "Then you're no better than Hyuuga. You know he calls me pretty much the exact same as what you just called me?" He flinched at this but immediately recovered, coming back with his own argument. " 'Chelle, I never called you weak. And I…" She never took her eyes off of him as she said, "You implied it."

He turned his back on her and walked off a few steps. Raising his gloved hand, he rubbed his mask where his forehead would be before speaking. "Michelle I followed you because I didn't want anything to happen to you. It's not that I think you're weak, but when I saw you battling the enemy ninja in the other world, you take too many risks that would cost you your life here. I've become rather attached to you and I'd rather not lose you if you don't mind."

This statement caught the Uchiha off guard. The ANBU turned around and looked at her…well, he was wearing his mask but he was facing her general direction. Stepping close to her, he removed his leather fighting gloves and took her hand in his. "It's been what…about three months since you came to live here? And I know what, with Hyuuga and all; life hasn't exactly been peaches and cream with you ranting about him every minute after he bugs you but still. Somehow you have become one of my closest friends…In fact…"

He tugged her a step closer, Michelle obeyed, unable to move…almost unable to breathe…They stood almost nose to…mask…

"You're almost more than a friend." He said in a husky voice…

A husky, vaguely familiar voice that she couldn't place but she didn't care right now.

He tugged his mask over the bottom of his face until his mouth was revealed. She shifted her eyes as to not see a hint of his face but he reached up to her face and turned it back to face him. She could feel his breath on her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

Was she this ready to trust someone again…the last person who had made her feel this way…was _him_…

But she could tell, that with all certainty that her ANBU friend would never hurt her. Plus her instincts had never told him that the ANBU was someone to be suspicious with the way it had with him.

Kumiko watched the two ninja in the detached way, however obvious interest written on her face. To an outsider who might happen across the scene right now, it would be made plenty obvious how deep the feelings that the two who were almost embracing were. She smiled as she watched Michelle succumb to whatever was holing her back.

Her breath teased the lower half of his face until it just about drove him insane…until he couldn't take it anymore. "Maybe." He whispered. "You've become one of my biggest reasons for living…become my life…" he said, his voice thick with emotion. When she didn't say anything or do anything except attempt to wrap her seemingly unresponsive arms around his torso, he tilted her head up, and, leaning down, pressed his lips against hers.

A fireball of emotion and sensations exploded in Michelle's stomach as she pressed herself into him tighter, closing her eyes gently.

Kissing _him_ never felt this…incredible.

He gently broke away from her and reached up to pull back down his mask. Michelle was strongly tempted to take the mask off and see who exactly it was. Her hand was twitching and she had begun slowly rising when…

"Um guys? This whole kissy-kissy huggy-huggy thing is well and good but I really need to get back to my villiage." Said Kumiko in a sly voice. Michelle turned the color of a ripe tomato mixed with a ripe cherry and stammer "Oh…. o…yes sorry Kumiko. Come on…" she disentangled herself from the embrace of the ANBU and went over to gather the pack. Her more-than-a-friend stood behind her, muffling a laugh.

Kumiko leaned over to the Uchiha when she passed and whispered in her ear "I don't blame you…he seems really nice." In a sly voice. Michelle whispered back "He is…And I don't even know what he looks like or his name." Kumiko looked at her, taken slightly aback. "Really?"

"Really." As she strapped the pack back onto herself, she slid a look back towards the ANBU and he nodded slightly and vanished. "Where…did he go if he came to protect you?" asked the Mist Ambassador confused. "He'll be following us but he can do more if people don't know he's here...He doesn't…" Her voice dropped to a murmur and Kumiko had to ask her to speak up. "He doesn't want anything to happen to me." She said simply before they walked off into the woods towards the village hidden in the mist.

It was about three hours or so into their walk, the sun had just started to go down and Michelle was thinking about setting up camp for the night when it happened. A rustle in the bushes was her only warning before a kunai shot out, aimed right at her. Not having time to dodge it, she prepared to shield Kumiko when the ANBU leapt down in front of her, Kunai bouncing harmlessly off of the armor he wore on his arm. "Come out!" he yelled but before he could react a shuriken came flying out of the bushes, powered by chakra…

And it hit his mask. Or more specifically, the chord that secured his mask to his face.

"Sey are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Asked the black haired Kunoichi worriedly as she transformed another shuriken and handed it to her friend. "She needs to know who he is. I've let this go on for too long." Said the Hokage's wife in a determined voice. "I guess…"

"But this is going to hurt her…badly."

It seemed to happen in slow motion-the rope holding his mask sliding off his head and the ceramic ANBU mask slipped soundlessly off of his face and landed on the grass, at his feet.

Her heart broke. So much for it not being like it was when she was screwed over by _him_.

The mask revealed a pale face, seemingly paler than normal. His violet pupil less eyes were widened as he tried to reach for the mask to catch it…but missed. Without the support of the mask, his small headdress slipped off revealing his brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail.

Her heart stopped breaking and just stopped as he whirled around to meet her eyes.

Anger, hurt, love…all kinds of emotions streamed their way through her body as she stared at her tormentor…and love.

"Neji." She said in a hoarse voice that couldn't seem to decide what emotion to use.

A/N-There ya go…if you're wondering who the Him is that Michelle kept referring to…go read 'Encounters' in Pieces of an Altered Reality.

Review!


	31. Chapter 31

A/N-I was going to update last night but being...difficult to ay the least. Oo. Anyways...that unpleasant business aside. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Kyiri Makrono, Loku and Duckichan87. This chapter is dedicated to Loku whose birthday is this weekend.

Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto (but I do own my Gaara Chibi keychain.)

Chapter 31

Mika and Seyann sat in the bushes near where their friend was standing, amazed by the myriad of emotions that skated across her eyes. They could see, as best they could from their distance, hurt, questioning, a little betrayal, love and…what was most strongly evidenced…was her anger. So much so that she literally shook with rage, unconsciously turning on her Sharingan.

"Why…Neji? Why?" Her voice trembled as she asked the question; the anger still hadn't made its way into her voice but tears were in her eyes. Neji didn't answer; he just stood there looking somewhat ashamed. Before he could blink, however, the anger seemed to finally make it's way through her entire being and she whipped out a kunai and hurtled it straight at the Hyuuga. He managed to get mostly out of the way but the kunai still snagged a scrap of his clothes with such force that it tore his ANBU jacket.

He hadn't gotten a chance to recover when a black and white blur slammed into his body, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could gasp for breath, her hand was at his throat, choking him. "Michelle…" he managed. "Stop…" she removed her hand so he could breathe but replaced it with the flat of a kunai blade. Kumiko watched this display in utter horror.

He couldn't look in her eyes. His pale violet eyes were averted from her pain filled red eyes. She took her hand and turned his chin so that he was facing her. "The ANBU that persuaded me to come here. That was you? After you had just invaded my own home…. You wanted me to come where I'd be in close proximity?"

He wasn't even struggling. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "When I came to see you as the ANBU, as I said, it was on Hokage's orders…but you were such a fantastic Kunoichi I knew that the village would be missing out if you stayed there. Plus…I could see how lonely you were…it was kind of my way to compensate for attacking you in your home like I did." He took a deep but restricted breath in before continuing. "But not everything went according to how I planned it out…I didn't plan for you to want to start up a friendship with the ANBU when you came over…I didn't plan to become friends with you and I…." He trailed off and shit his eyes, as if blocking out her pain filled orbs.

Michelle returned her hand to his throat and gave it a threatening squeeze, her anger still at a dangerous level. "Finish your sentence."

He opened his eyes…the Byakkugan was on. "I didn't plan on falling in love with you…." He launched an unexpected kick at the shocked girl, knocking her off of him-not enough to hurt him, merely enough to get her away from him. She was only caught off-guard for a moment or so and in this time, Neji had managed to get far enough away from the angry woman.

"Then why Neji? Tell me. Why did you call me those names?" She said indignantly, throwing the kunai at him-hard. He dodged it and, placing chakra in his feet, ran around the clearing, trying to disorient her-her aim with a kunai was that good.

On his way past one of the bushes in clearing he could've sworn he sensed two very familiar chakra patterns…but he went by so fast it must've been his imagination. So he could answer her question, he skidded to a stop and kept some chakra at the ready in case she decided to throw the kunai. "I called you those names…because of my image."

"You're image." She repeated dully. Her blood red eyes seemed to fade…indeed they did, back to their normal obsidian. Her anger seemed to be leaving her so Neji took a cautious step towards her and when she didn't make a move to attack him again he moved in. "It's not my image…of how other people see me…it's about my image to you. You thought from the beginning…that I, Neji, was bad and hated you…because I had attacked you. But you trusted…even started to care for the ANBU…" He laid his hands gently on her upper arms.

She rested her forehead almost unconsciously on his chest. "But now I don't know which image to believe…one kept hurting me…and I love the other one."

He started to talk, assuring her that he would never hurt her…but she barely heard him. What she had just said was rattling around in her head and she was trying to make sense of why. '_I don't know which image to believe…one kept hurting me…_

_And I love the other one.'_ The memories she had attempted to suppress came rushing back.

This jolted Michelle as she realized. _This. Was. Like. Him._

"You…." She said in a shaking voice. "You. This is just like…him…you're going to do the same thing as he did…" she started to struggle, in order to wrench herself out of his arms and succeeded when he let her go in surprise. "Just like who Michelle?" She looked at him with panic filled red eyes-the Sharingan had turned itself back on and shook her head mutely. He reached for her to hold her…to comfort her…

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed, smacking his hands away…acting like a trapped and cornered animal. "I will not fall for this again!" She slid a kunai out of her sleeve where she had it hidden and she leapt forward, slashing wildly, a feral look in her eyes. When he didn't move away from the knife swing, he received a slash right in the shoulder. Gasping in pain, he grabbed his shoulder, causing a momentary weakness where Michelle gave him a kick sending him flying across the clearing. "Kumiko! The pack!" she said sharply. The Mist Ambassador scooped up the pack, which was still lying where Michelle had dropped it, in one fluid motion.

Once she was sure that Neji was too incapacitated to follow her right away, she picked up the Mist girl bridal style and, gathering chakra into her feet, took off into the trees.

"Well that went well." Said Seyann dryly from her place in the bushes. "Seyann…this is no time for thatdry sarcastic wit…I feel awful…who's this 'him' she's talking about?" "I don't know…she's never said anything to us about that…"

The girls stepped from the bushes to heal Neji. The Hyuuga looked up and, upon catching sight of Mika, said in a dry chuckle. "I see. So you were the ones who threw the Shuriken." "Yeah…Neji I'm sorry…"

He waved her off with the hand that Seyann wasn't healing. "It's ok. She would've had to find out sooner or later…did she ever mention this 'him' to you?" Seyann shook her head, standing up. "No it's a mystery to us too…" "I'll have to ask her about it." He mused.

Mika stopped and stared at him. "You aren't seriously thinking about going after her. The way she is right now…she'd kill you." Neji shook her head. "I love her. She has to know. If I don't go after her right now, I could lose her forever."

And with that he was gone.

When Michelle finally touched down in a clearing far enough away from Neji that she knew it would take him a while to catch up, she set Kumiko down and dropped to her knees, gasping. Kumiko had seen this girl go from happy to furious to melancholy in a matter of a few minutes but she always managed to keep it together.

This was the first time she had seen the girl-or any ninja for that matter-a nervous wreck.

"Michelle." Kumiko gently wrapped her arms around the distraught girl, brushing the dirty black hair out of the girls face where it had been blown. "What's wrong."

"This happened before. I had a person toy with my emotions…he had two personas. One was polite and friendly to me…the other beat me every two weeks. I didn't know until he took off his mask…and I was so caught off guard…"

She looked up at Kumiko like one who had been scarred beyond belief. "I was so caught off guard that he beat me within an inch of my life and I couldn't stop him. He's dead now but I can't allow something like that to ever happen to me again…I nearly died."

Having composed herself now by talking about it, she stood up. "If I know Neji, he'll be coming after us. I have no desire to so much as look at him. Let's go." Kumiko picked up the pack and followed Michelle away through the forest.

Later on that night at the village, Michelle had to sit through thank-you speeches by the elders and the Mizukage respectively. She had discovered, upon arriving in Mist that…Kumiko was the Mizukage's neice.

No one had mentioned that in the mission contract.

Michelle would've had a good time…if she wasn't always thinking that she saw Neji. First he was getting food…dancing with Kumiko (that annoyed her...until she realized it wasn't him)…standing on the garden wall…

And then he would be gone.

He sat in the tree that was overlooking the garden. He was sure he had been too risky that last time…that she had seen him standing on the garden wall…but he knew he was gone too soon for her to know anything definite.

But…he wanted to know what was so wrong…and apologize for whatever it was that he had done to make her freak out as he did.

A/N-There you go...the chapter. Unless there is popular demand, this will be the last update for about a week. I'm going on a family vacation and there is absolutely no chance of acessing the internet. However...if people really want it, in the next couple days I'll try to update before I leave... Anyways...

Review!


	32. Chapter 32

A/N-Ok I lied. I was bored tonight so I updated. But I can guarantee there won't be one till next Saturday at the very least after this. Thanks to WhiteStarburst, Kyiri Makrono, ReiKai101, Duckichan87 and Loku for reviewing the last chapter. Again this Chapter is for Loku for her birthday. Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 32

Michelle wandered down the sakura-shrouded flagstone path that Kumiko had showed her earlier, lost in her thoughts obsidian eyes trained on an indeterminate point further down the path. It was a beautiful area…

A quiet area… she needed to think. She had managed to slip away from the party after everyone, it seemed, had thanked her and were immersed in talking, eating and dancing.

After all that had happened…she didn't feel like partying that night.

She discovered a path that lead off of the main one and she followed it, having no real goal in mind. She came across a beautiful, obviously created but exquisite nonetheless, garden. Trellises formed a sort of fence around the clearing, each covered in blooming roses, more than she could count. On the ground were various species of wildflowers mixed with a carpet of dried rose petals. It was on this carpet she sank, emotionally exhausted.

This love thing was too hard. Every time she tried to think about Neji and how she felt about him…she was assaulted by memories. Memories of being beaten for trusting…emotional scars that just wouldn't heal…feelings of betrayal…and his face. Finally, after her third try, she clutched at her head, a fistful of black hair in her hand, while she cursed. "Why can't I just let go of what happened." She said softly.

Her fingers, while she thought were unconsciously digging through the rose petals, looking for nothing and anything. She finally came up with a rock that had been buried under the cushiony layer. After turning it over and over in her hands, she finally put some chakra into it and chucked it into a random tree, waiting to hear the 'thunk' of the rock against the tree.

She was rewarded with an 'Ow.'

Her breathing and pulse quickened unconsciously. "Go away Neji." He dropped to the ground behind her, muffled by the roses.

"Please…I want to kill you…but I don't…these memories…" she raised a hand to her head and covered her eyes.

"'Chelle…tell me what's going on…tell me what I did, why this…these memories and that nervous breakdown… is happening. And you need to hear me out too." Michelle was still shaking slightly. "Maybe if I tell you it'll get it off my chest and I'll be able to let it go." She mused. "Fine. I will…but this is the last time I'm reliving this. If Mika and Seyann want to know…they can ask you, not me." She smirked bitterly. "I sensed them there from about halfway through our confrontation." She breathed deeply before launching into the explanation. "You remember the ninja we fought? Well…the one that the ANBU and I fought?" Yes…I do."

"That was him…remember how I said that he had left me for dead? That was only after he tricked me into loving him…no I fell in love with his other image…not even the strongest genjutsu can make someone fall in love with someone else. When he finally revealed his identity to me, I was so caught off guard that it was almost like I let him beat me to pieces."

Neji finally comprehended. "And when I did the two images to you, it was like he was back from the dead." Michelle nodded. "I couldn't take it and I panicked. As you saw."

Michelle opened her eyes and stared at the ground, shaking like a leaf. Neji took a cautious step towards the girl, and laid his hands on her arms. "Do you want to know the difference between him and I?" he said in a calming voice. Michelle nodded her head once, in a jerking motion. "I would prefer to die before I ever hurt you, mentally or physically." Slowly her shaking stopped as she looked up into his pearly violet eyes. "Now that I know why you were so shaken up may I apologize?" Michelle nodded and said "You don't have to…you didn't know. It's my fault for holding onto memories for so long."

"You know…when the ANBU told you he loved you…I meant every word." He said softly. Sensing that she still needed time to think it over, he released her upper arms and was gone in an instant before she could say anything to stop him.

Michelle walked back to the party in a bit of a daze. Kumiko picked up on her mood almost right away and went over to her. "He…was here." Kumiko's eyes widened and she wrapped an arm around Michelle. "Are you okay? Did anything happen?" Michelle shook her head, black hair gleaming in the soft torchlight that helped set the mood for the party.

"He…merely heard me out. And he said only one thing…and it calmed me…he said he'd never hurt me." She suddenly smiled.

"And he said he loved me."

As soon as Neji had returned to Konoha he had been summoned in front of the Hyuuga clan head…as he knelt before his cousin, he dreaded to think about what this was about.

This was the first time that Hinata had been forced to use her power as the leader of the Hyuuga clan. Gone was the stuttering girl who rarely looked anyone in the face. Gone was the loving mother. In her place was a cold tyrant, who had to focus on making decisions for the good of the clan.

"Hyuuga Neji. You, in your actions, have shamed the entire Hyuuga clan." Her iron hard voice softened a touch. "And you caused personal hardship and emotional trauma to someone who is a close friend of mine." Neji flinched under the accusations of his cousin. "Forgive me milady." Her voice hardened again as she spoke to him. "Therefore, to prevent…further possible mishaps…I forbid you from ever seeing her, or speaking to her again. Do I make myself clear?"

Neji's eyes widened and he looked up at his cousin. "No…" he breathed. "Silence. Yes, or no. Do you understand?"

He lowered his eyes to the ground and said, almost sullenly "I understand." She nodded satisfactorily. "Good. Now, stay away from her."

Michelle walked the streets of Konoha happily, looking for Neji, wishing to tell him that she forgave him; it wasn't his fault and that she meant it too…she wanted him…loved him.

She suddenly caught sight of him, walking with his cousin and Naruto, in the bazaar, looking at various things. She called his name and waved but…he looked at her once, slid a glance at Hinata and turned back to what he was doing. When Hinata wasn't looking he looked her straight in the eye, jerked his head towards his cousin and shook his head slightly.

She comprehended. Hinata had said something to him, and, as a branch clan member he would have to obey.

Their makeup would remain a secret.

Later that night, Michelle was out in the woods when someone almost caught her offguard by wrapping his arms around her from behind. She would've freaked…if she hadn't been expecting him.

"You don't have to say anything…I understand what Hinata did." She said softly. "She thinks I hurt you." "You did." She reminded her secret boyfriend with a gentle laugh.

He turned her around and said "But you know I meant none of it…" "Yes Neji. I know. I was joking…surely you've heard of that practice." "I don't care what Hinata says you know…I'll keep coming…if you want."

"Well since you're hear I understand that you don't care what Hinata says. And…" she .leaned her forehead against his own. "I want."

Letting out a rare smile at his girlfriend's wit, he leaned in and gently kissed her.

A/N-There you go. Enjoy. NOW begins the weeklong Hiatus.

But when I get back I'll probably have a one-shot or two up my sleeve...

Read and Review!


	33. Chapter 33

A/N-I'm baaaaack…didja all miss me? Thanks to Kyiri Makrono, Duckichan87, Loku, Kagime and the Owl, Amputation (glomp new reviewer), and Elemtental Dragon2.0 for reviewing the last chapter…Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 33

It was an unspoken thing between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. In order to save Neji a lot of grief…no one but they would know about the relationship. Just before the sun came up, Neji left to go back to the village, however, before he did Michelle grabbed his arm. Making sure his blank violet eyes were looking at her, she said quietly "I still want. Even if I have to act like I don't." He smiled briefly and kissed her before slipping away into the forest, like he hadn't been there in the first place.

The next day Seyann left Sienna with her husband while she went to go see Michelle. Walking into the house, she found her friend fast asleep on the couch…like she had been too tired to even make it up to her room. Seyann smiled gently and pulled a comforter over her friend's body. 'I'll come back later.' She thought, turning to go.

She had forgotten that Michelle was one of the lightest sleepers in the world.

"Sey-seyann?" She sat up, rubbing her coal-colored eye. Seyann turned around and looked at the girl on the couch. "What's up? Why are you here?" The other girl shook her brown covered head and smiled. "Nothing. Not an emergency anyways. I just wanted to see…how you were holding up." Said Seyann gently. Michelle smiled at her friend as she snapped on the light above her head, squinting in the brightness. "Yeah I'm fine." Seyann smiled tightly and said "Chelle you don't need that." She walked over to a window and slowly opened it, letting in the bright mid-day sun.

Michelle reached up and snapped off the light. "Guess not." She said ruefully. The bags under her eyes were evident. "What…" Seyann leaned down so that she was looking Michelle directly in the eyes. "You have bags the size of the desert around Suna. What were you doing last night?"

Maybe it was just Seyann, but Michelle seemed a little jumpy when she asked this. "Wha-oh. Just a touch of insomnia. That's all. I went out training in the forest to try and tire myself out." _'Not entirely a lie.'_ She thought ruefully. "How…are you dealing?" Said the Hokage's wife quietly. "Oh…you mean that?" Seyann nodded and Michelle continued "Not bad. I mean…it still hurts a bit." _Not untrue…it hurt she couldn't treat him like a real boyfriend_ "But give me time and I should be able to figure something out." 'Please let me figure something out.' She thought.

"Ok. Well…you get your rest…" An idea was brewing in Seyann's head to help cheer her friend up. "I'll come back to talk to you later after you've rested." Sey snapped the blind closed and walked out of the house. Michelle fell back against the couch and slipped back into the realm of unconsciousness…dreaming about Neji.

Seyann went straight to Hokage Tower, collected her daughter, and sent a message to Mika in Suna, to come that night and to bring the Kazekage with her.

To cheer their friend up…Seyann had an idea.

That night, at around 6, Mika and Seyann ambushed Michelle's house where the girl was just fixing herself some food. "Don't eat that." Warned Seyann, smirking. Seyann wore a mid thigh black skirt and a green sparkly halter-top. Mika wore a pair of hip hugger low rise blue jeans with a v-necked (low v-neck) pink t-shirt. "Umm…guys? What's with the old world clothes?" No one wore clothes like that in Konoha or Suna for that matter…too impractical for everyday wear. "And where are Keiko and Sienna."

"With Shikamaru and Temari." Answered Mika. "We've talked the boys into taking us out for supper. We think they're either going to take us to Ichiraku…or take us to the park, go get the ramen, and we eat at the park." Seyann picked up where her friend left off. "Either way, you're not dressed right for the look we're trying to achieve." She sent a pointed look at the girl's tank top and boxer shorts. "Come on." Seyann hooked her arm around Michelle and began to forcibly escort the girl up to her room to dress.

When her friends were finished with her she looked nothing like the rumple haired, pajama clothed creature that had been making food in the kitchen. In her place was a girl in a pair of tight black jeans, wearing a violet halter-top that offset her black eyes. Her hair had been straightened just a little and it gave it a nice flip. "Guys…." She said warningly. "Are we going clubbing?" "Don't be silly. The club that I got Kakashi to build won't be ready for another year or so."

When they arrived at the pre-arranged meeting point, Naruto and Hinata as well as Sasuke and Sakura had already arrived as well as Kakashi and Gaara standing there, talking about relations between Suna and Konoha. Kame and Itachi were nowhere in sight and Michelle could only assume that they too were with Shikamaru and Temari. "Ready to go?" asked Gaara, putting an arm around Mika's waist, Kakashi doing similar with Seyann.

It may have been a dinner with the intent to cheer her up but seeing all the couples gave her a pang of sadness that she couldn't act like this with her own boyfriend. She was, however, pulled out of her revere as she began to laugh with her friends and try to forget about everything that was going on in her hectic life. As it turned out the boys had decided to leave the girls at the park while they went to go get the ramen. Neji could be seen, across the park, reading a novel…but Michelle knew his mind was anywhere but the pages of 'Paths of Life-Autobiography of the Sixth Hokage.'

While they were gone, a certain perv came by.

A certain old perv named Jiraiya.

"Oh my but you ladies do look lovely tonight. You." He said, pointing to them. "Have lovely…" with his eyes trained on their upper torso's "Figures." He supplied. Michelle and Hinata were the only two who turned bright read. Hinata because, well…she's Hinata and Michelle because this was the first time Jiraiya had hit on her. She slid a glance across the park where she could see Neji's hands shaking from the force he was holding the book with. When Jiraiya started to speak again, however, she turned her attention back to him.

"Now…seeing as how some people are new in town…" he slid his perverted glance to Michelle before continuing "I write the novels Itcha Itcha Paradise." Michelle sweatdropped. It was impossible to live in Konoha and not hear that he authored the famous hentai. "And I was wondering if you ladies would like to be models for my novel…" The others were used to Jiraiya asking but when Michelle heard his preposition she turned beet red. She slid another glance across the park and could see that Neji was standing up where he stood, the novel in his hands almost in shreds.

The old pervert had never considered that they were with their husbands…or that their infuriated husbands…

Were standing right behind him.

If looks could kill Jiraiya would be dead…several times over. Naruto's eyes had turned into the Kyuubi's and a red chakra surrounded his body, nails lengthening into claws. Sand was surrounding Gaara, forming spikes and one of the Kazekage's eyes had turned golden, indicating Shukaku was screaming to be released. His normally passive face was livid. Sasuke had his Sharingan turned on as well as the windmill shuriken out. It was too fold for him…not only was his wife being hit on, his cousin was as well. This didn't sit to well with the Uchiha heir. Neji as well. The Byakkugan was on and he had a kunai in his hand ready to slit the throat of the perv who would hit on his secret girlfriend and his clan leader.

Kakashi's expression was the funniest. At first his eyes showed happiness at the fact that his wife was being asked to be a model and the opportunity to see her in the pages of his favorite novel. One glare from Seyann had, however, nipped that in the bud. He had realized, from a look in her eyes, that not only he would be looking at pictures of his wife…everyone else who read the novel would.

This changed everything. He formed the starting hand seals for his lightning blade.

"Are…these…with you?" Said Jiraiya in a squeaky voice. The group nodded in unison, glaring at the hermit. With another squeak…he turned tail and ran. The boys took a seat on the picnic tables beside their respective wives, Neji going back to his seat across the park. Gaara had his hand possessively around Mika's waist attempting to get Shukaku under control, stabbing his ramen angrily. Kakashi was merely sitting beside Seyann, while Naruto and Sasuke both fought to regain control of their emotions, taking their anger out on the ramen.

"Hey Hinata." Said Seyann suddenly. "You know…Neji was with looking like he wanted to hurt Jiraiya. What's up?" Hinata let out a small smile. "Ever since I became clan leader he's been rather protective of me."

Michelle knew the truth…but she wasn't about to say anything. She looked up from her Ramen, over to where Neji was sitting. They made brief eye contact and he nodded, before getting up and leaving.

"Umm guys…I'm not feeling that good. I'll talk to you later." She said, making an excuse. "O.K see you tomorrow Michelle." Chorused the group.

Except she didn't go home. She went to a certain glade in the woods…where he was waiting. He wrapped his arms around her and started nuzzling her neck. "Mine. I wanted to throttle him." Michelle smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Little did she know that people had followed her, not buying her 'I'm sick' excuse at all. Thus, from the bushes, a pair of green, silver, hazel…

And hazy lavender eyes…

Watched.

A/N-Here ya go. With this be a one-shot in 'Pieces' Enjoy. What I'm going to do is type a joke and if you want the answer…ask when you REVIEW!

Question-What is brown and sounds like a bell?


	34. Chapter 34

A/N-Hello my wonderful readers! I love you all... (not in that way) And I must say…IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN _HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE_ GO AND SEE IT…NOW! It is a excellent movie…and Howl is hot! If you don't believe me just Google image 'Howl and Sophie' and check him out! Thanks to Kyiri Makrono, Loku, Kira, Yargy the Pirate Queen and Amputation who reviewed thelast chapter.Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 34

The people hiding in the bushes watched as Neji trailed his lips up Michelle's neck and kissed her firmly on her mouth. The bearers of the hazel eyes could tell-this was just like when her husband felt threatened by an outsider. Almost animalistic…the male needs to assert his dominance…and the female has to let him in order for things to be right again.

All males, it seemed, were like that.

However, hazy violet eyes narrowed, gaining a grim look and saying silently 'How _dare_ he defy my command.' The other eyes exchanged worried looks as the girl raised two fingers in front of her face and whispered a secret jutsu that had been passed down through generation…

In the Hyuuga clan.

Suddenly, almost painfully, Neji ripped himself out of Michelle's arms and screamed in pain. A shaking hand tore his forehead protector off in an attempt to relieve the pressure it was causing him. "Neji…" Michelle said in a shaking voice. "What's wrong…" She glanced around the clearing helplessly, as if looking for someone to tell her what to do.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, the pain having temporarily abated, he grabbed Michelle's arm for support. "She…. knows. That's the only reason the mark would've activated." "Who knows…Hinata?" Said Michelle urgently. He nodded and gritted his teeth as another wave of pain struck him.

The bushes rustled warningly…but that was all the warning they got as something that Michelle could only distinguish as a streak of light sped out of the bushes and slammed into Neji's body, sending the already pain racked Jounin flying across the glade. "Neji!" Michelle yelled, anguished. The dust kicked up by the jutsu was slowly dying down and the Uchiha saw who it was who had attacked her boyfriend.

Hinata. But not the Hinata she knew, not the gentle, stuttering girl who was madly in love with Naruto… no, she saw the leader of the Hyuuga clan. Her hazy violet eyes were steely and she held one hand out in front of her, a hand that was beginning to glow again as she charged back up for the jutsu.

"You disobeyed me." Said Hinata in a voice so cold, Michelle almost thought that it was an imposter standing in for her. Before Michelle could stop her, however, Hinata stalked over to where her cousin was huddled in a heap at the base of the tree and sent a charka powered kick in his direction.

"Hinata…. Hinata wait…STOP!" Michelle shrieked, racing forward and grabbing a hold of the arm the clan leader had just swung back. "Do not touch me." Said Hinata coldly, continuing with "Or try to stop me. He defied me, he shall pay the consequences. Do not interfere."

"Do…not interfere?" Said Michelle in a shaky voice. "Why wouldn't I interfere? You're my friend Hinata, but I love him and I will not allow you to hurt him merely because you are his clan leader, that's not a good enough excuse." Hinata yanked her arm out of Michelle's grasp and merely slid a kunai out of the sleeve of her jacket and said, "Do not interfere. The penalty is death." She swung the kunai up, causing Michelle to close her eyes tightly.

But as she heard the kunai whistling through the air she realized…she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Her eyes snapped open, revealing the Sharingan. Faster than anyone could tell, Michelle slipped under Hinata's arm and whacked her hand, sending the kunai flying across the clearing. Giving the clan leader a swift kick in the stomach, Michelle sent her flying across after the knife.

Turning around to where her boyfriend was beginning to stir, she preformed several hand seals, placing a jutsu on him. She barely managed to finish before she could sense Hinata getting up. The cold clan leader was glaring at her.

"This has nothing to do with you, it is a matter of a lesser disobeying someone who is above them. Don't stick your interfering nose into family business…why are you laughing?"

"I'm laughing, my dear Hinata at you." Said Michelle through chuckles. "You say that what is going on has absolutely nothing to do with me…and yet you are so drunk on power as the clan leader that you cannot see that this has _everything_ to do with me. I'm the reason you're putting him through this whole thing."

Hinata scowled causing Michelle to hold up a hand "Hinata don't scowl. It is not becoming…what would Naruto say if he saw?" But even bringing up the Uzumaki's name did nothing to change her friend's expression.

"Come on Hinata." Pressed Michelle. "Yes he hurt me…but I forgive him for that. If he had still hurt me I wouldn't allow him near me in fact I'd take your job and kill him myself… but I love him… And I will not allow you to hurt him."

What Michelle had forgotten is that when people start to monologue, they tend to lose their guard. While Michelle had her guard down, Hinata whipped out another kunai and threw it at Neji's body by way of underneath Michelle's arm.

It landed in Neji's chest. "NO!" yelled Michelle franticly as she whirled around.

However, that was all an act for Hinata's benefit. As soon as the female Hyuuga couldn't see her…Michelle smirked the famous Uchiha smirk.

As Neji's body turned into a pile of leaves. "Did you think I would let down my guard that much?"

Hinata frowned threateningly. "Where is he…" She turned on the Byakkugan and began to scan the surrounding trees. "Gotcha." She murmured when she saw his form sitting in the tree coming around. Pulling out Senbon needles, she threw them, only to have Michelle get in the way. "Oh no you don't."

The two women slid their respective kunai out and began to fight hand-to-hand combat. Hinata, while being the clan leader, refused to use the Jyuken because Michelle was still her friend.

However, even Michelle's assassin skills were nothing compared to the ninja skills of Hinata and before long she found herself at the losing end.

The Sharingan faded from her eyes as she knelt on the ground, panting, Hinata's kunai at her throat. She was about to close her eyes and admit defeat when "Wait! Hinata-Sama stop it!"

Wearily Michelle looked up to where she had relocated her boyfriend after the substitution jutsu, to see him standing there, looking down at the scene. He leapt from the tree and landed unsteadily on his knees in front of the clan leader.

"Stop hurting her…I won't let you." Hinata arched an eyebrow. "You standing up to me in this condition?" Neji nodded his head slowly. "Anything for her…I love her."

Suddenly, Hinata the clan leader vanished as though she had never been there and her trademark timid smile was on her face. ""Ok Neji. You passed."

Michelle sweatdropped. "Passed?" Neji furrowed his brow and said, "What…are you talking about?"

Hinata sighed. "It's something that every Hyuuga has to go through when they find someone they're serious about." "You mean…like a test?" said Michelle uncertainly.

"That's it exactly. It's a test to make sure that the Hyuuga loves the one they have chosen enough to stand up to the Clan Leader…and that their chosen loves the Hyuuga enough to do the same. I had to go through the same thing with Naruto and my Father." She sighed. "I'm sorry for beating you up so badly Neji. Believe me, I didn't want too. You can come out and heal him now!" She called to the bush she had emerged from.

From this bush emerged Sakura with a medical pack, followed by Mika and Seyann, both avoiding Michelle's pointed 'why were you spying on me' glare.

Hinata turned to the latter two with an amused smile. "So you guys didn't have to ask me to tell him to stay away from her…I would've had to do that anyways."

Despite Mika and Seyann's desperate attempts to stop Hinata from saying what she just did…their efforts were in vain. Michelle froze where she stood, glare etched on her face as she rotated slowly so that she faced her friends completely.

"What. Did. She. Just. Say." Breathed their friend. Seyann and Mika both simultaneously stepped backwards and looked at each other. Mika spoke "Well…I'll have you know it was her idea." Seyann muttered "Traitor." Under her breath before starting to come up with excuses "Well…after all that had happened…I thought…test your love?" she said in a questioning tone. Michelle shook her head.

"You two are lucky. I am in a good mood and as such am feeling rather generous." Snapping her eyes open, she glared at her friends. "You get 5 seconds to run instead oftwo."

Yellow appeared in Seyann's eyes as Mika and herself turned to run, with Michelle in hot pursuit.

A/N-There you go. Enjoy it! One-shot being put in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality; with this…enjoy that too!

Review.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Loku, Kyiri Makrono,Yargy the Pirate Queen and Kagime and the Owl. And, As I sit here and watch Howl's Moving Castle again...for the third time in two days...and considering how angsty this chapter is...the only thing I can say is...READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 35

With the blessing from Hinata, the two were now set up to date. Which they did for several months. Until….

They were in the middle of the glade that they had met at while their relationship was still a secret. Michelle had her head leaned back in Neji's lap, her black hair pooled around her face. A lazy smile was on her face as Neji traced patterns in her face while she said what or whom the clouds looked like. "That looks like Naruto…Sasuke….a kunai…. One of my Sharingan commas…A ring…" Wait…

A ring?

What she had seen was no cloud…and it sparkled. She shot up swiftly and turned around to look at him. He sat there, a ring in his hand-white gold with a solitaire diamond set-and a small smirk on his face. "N-neji?" she said, uncertainly. He shifted his position on the ground to one of…a single knee, ring extended and an uncertain look on his face. "Michelle Uchiha…Will you marry me?"

She sat up abruptly, never taking her eyes off of his face. "Are…you serious?" Neji lost the uncertain look and regained something of his former confident nature. "Would I joke about something like this 'Chelle?" he asked her, smirking. Her eyes widened as she lunged forward, clamping her arms around his neck and tackling him to the ground. "Yes!" she burst out happily. "Of course I'll marry you Neji!" she buried her face into his neck as he multi-tasked, sliding the ring on her finger while trying to pull her back and kiss her at the same time.

"I'm sorry. This cannot happen." Said the Hokage firmly, looking at the couple standing, hands entwined in front of him. He slid his eye back down to the paper work on his desk to avoid Michelle's devastated expression. "Why not…Hokage-Sama…" Asked Neji, barely making the title sound respectable.

"You two are my best ANBU ninja. And as such, I have the right to refuse to allow this marriage. This discussion is over, please leave my office. ."

Michelle and Neji left, hands still entwined, Michelle fingering the ring on her left hand ring finger. As soon as they were out of the office, Michelle broke down and started to sob. "Shhhh…. We'll find away around this 'Chelle." "How?" she sniffed. "He's the Hokage…he doesn't have to listen to anyone…"

And then it struck her. She immediately stopped crying and straightened up, a steely look in her eyes. So much so, that Neji was surprised that the Sharingan didn't turn on. "What are you doing honey?"

"I'm going to the one person that Kakashi will listen too…"

With that Michelle took off and went to Seyann's house. Five minutes later, an explosion was heard. The streets of Konoha cleared as Seyann stalked out of her house and down the street to Hokage Tower, her eyes flaming.

It took 10 minutes until Seyann came back out to confront Michelle and Neji, a self satisfied smirk on her face. "Ask again."

They never knew what Seyann had done to her husband to persuade him to let the two wed…but they got permission nonetheless.

After several more months of careful planning, it was today. The day that the last Kunoichi from the other world was to be married. Michelle stood in the room set aside for brides in Hokage tower, staring at her dress, oblivious to the other ladies behind her. She looked beautiful. Her long black hair was done up in a complex knot on her head, held up by chakra, and her makeup was done just right to contrast her slightly tanned skin. Her dress was a vision. Made of material so white that it was almost silvery, it was a long flowing off the shoulder thing that clung to her torso before falling into a train almost 5 feet long. The best part? The train was removable for the reception.

Mika walked up to her, hand on her swollen belly. "You feeling all well and good Chelle?" asked the woman with a smile on her face. Michelle nodded as she turned to look at Mika. In her eighth month, her bridesmaid dress had required several alterations as her stomach swelled. The constant alterations had given Hinata (who had volunteered her skills as a seamstress) nightmares and when Seyann had announced her own second pregnancy the night before at the reception, Hinata had given an audible sigh of relief that it hadn't happened sooner. One was enough.

The bridesmaid dresses had been difficult to pick out. Michelle had wanted pink originally until she remembered Seyann's hatred of the color. This caused them to settle on the color of pale green. The next problem that arose was Mika. It wasn't until after the dresses had started to be made that Mika remembered how much she liked having movement when she was pregnant. So, instead of making the dresses floor length they were adjusted to just above the knee to allow for mobility. That, on top of various other problems made the bridesmaid gowns quite a little adventure.

All the bridesmaids (Hinata, Sakura, Seyann and Mika) gathered around Michelle, smiling. "It's almost time…" said her cousin-in-law quietly, remembering how jittery she was when she married Sasuke.

The chattering girls were interrupted by a knock at the door. Kakashi cracked the door and said "It's time…" Michelle froze and pivoted on the spot like a robot. "Ok." she squeaked. "'Chelle…relax…" said Mika softly as Gaara came into the room and took her hand. Sasuke and Naruto followed, each respectively taking their wives hands to escort them in.

Michelle would walk alone.

This thought made her almost start to cry. Normally…the father would escort her down the aisle. Her father was dead. Her parents were missing her wedding day.

Quickly, before anyone could see, she wiped her eyes. Her parents would've wanted her to be happy.

Keiko and Sienna went first as the flower girls, followed by Itachi and Kame who were each carrying one of the rings.

The bridesmaids came down the aisle with their husbands. Neji stood at the front of the outdoor chapel, anticipating the moment when he would see Michelle. Then, with a crescendo, she appeared.

And she took his breath away.

He could tell that his bride was shaking like a leaf as she walked cautiously up the row between the chairs. Holding out his hand, he saw her steady as she took it and joined him before the Alter. Turning towards the officiator -Kakashi- the ceremony began.

And in about a half an hour, Michelle and Neji were married.

There was the matter of the last name-it was a special circumstance. Because so few Uchiha's remained, instead of taking Neji's name, she would keep her own last name and Neji would remain a Hyuuga. As for the children…they decided to wait and see what traits they had before giving a last name to them.

Later on during the reception in which the group celebrated that the last two singles among them were married-to each other. The boys were watching their wives act …the only word really…was immature. They laughed and fooled around like they were 18 again…like they had in the old world. (At least for Sey, Mika and Michelle.)

The kids were in an area roped off by chakra ropes for their own protection.

But about an hour into the reception…it happened. The husbands and wives were dancing-Neji and Michelle pretty much making out on the floor. The guys seemed to have sensed it first, however, and as such Gaara covered everyone-including the children-with his sand for protection as an explosion rocked the area. When the sand went down and the smoke had cleared, everyone saw who was standing on the outside of the barrier.

Sasuke's heart stopped. Michelle's eyes widened as she saw her cousin for the first time.

"I…Itachi…" breathed Sasuke, buried hatred boiling up in his gut. "How. I saw you commit suicide…you killed yourself right in front of me…"

"That, my dear little brother, was a prisoner of the Akatsuki that I had turned into a replica of myself and brainwashed so that he was under my control. Did you think, for even one second I would regret killing out family?" Sliding a glance to Michelle, Neji's arm wrapped protectively around her, he smirked. "Clearly I didn't do my job that well."

Now his blood red eyes slid towards the children. "Consider what I am about to do revenge for you three foiling my plans in the other world when the Akatsuki tried to get Celina." The mothers all gasped and made to move forward to protect the children. Needing some security, Itachi reached into the children's pen in order to grab a child as a shield.

Mika got to her kunai holder first.

Lunging forward with as much strength that she could muster as a pregnant woman, she threw the kunai followed by several more. Screaming like a madwoman, she threw all she could at Itachi, missing every time. "IF YOU TOUCH MY BABY_…"_ She shrieked at the top of her lungs…

Until she lost her momentum. Stumbling, she tensed again to leap at him, in defense of the children…

Not seeing him whip out his own kunai and throw three in her direction.

She jumped right into them.

One kunai pierced her shoulder with so much force it caused her to gasp as her body was propelled back slightly. The second one pierced her swollen belly so deep that it was past the hilt. The third one went into her torso, just above where the bump began.

Gaara was shaking like a leaf, from fury and grief as he watched his wife fall. Keiko screamed from her place in the child's pen as she saw the blood come out of her mother's body. Slowly, almost as if the moment had frozen in time, Mika's body slumped to the ground, motionless, blood spreading from where she had landed. Seyann and Michelle both looked on in horror. Their friend…was…as far as they could tell….

Dead.

A/N- (blinks) not much for me to say after this chapter. Sorry guys but there's no one-shot right now…I need to think up some more ideas for them. (you may submit ideas at your leisure)

Review!


	36. Chapter 36

A/N-Wow. I didn't expect that much of a response for killing Mika. And I want to GLOMP all of my readers and reviewers. This story now has over 10000 hits as well as over 150 reviews! WOOT you guys rule! Thanks to Elemental Dragon2.0, kagime and the owl, Supershark1, Dog of the Dead, Loku, Yargy the Pirate Queen and Kyiri Makrono for reviewing the last chapter…the call is still out for those of you who haven't…to go see Howl's Moving Castle, it's an awesome movie! READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 36

Gaara's hands were balled into fists, so tightly that his nails cut little half-moons into his palm. Dimly he was aware of his daughter screaming, but his eyes were trained on the body of his fallen wife. Itachi was standing over Mika's body, eyes narrowed, gaze on the body and an emotion that almost looked like…suspicion and annoyance in his gaze. Letting out a feral growl to get the murderer's attention, he began to speak.

"When I get through with you Itachi, you will regret three things in life." His voice took on a feral quality as his teeth lengthened into fangs as Shukaku began to come out. "You will regret the day you were born. The day you heard my name. And the day you killed my wife." His eyes began to turn yellow as the demon fought it's way to the surface.

Giving the enraged demon vessel a lazy, slightly disgusted glance, the former Akatsuki leader spoke up. "Hold it power boy. First of all, your efforts to attempt to kill me are pathetic. Second of all…"

He never got a chance to finish his sentence, instead looking to his feet…as Mika's body dissolved into a pile of dried leaves which made a crunching sound as the heavy kunai fell to the bottom of the pile.

Suddenly, from behind him, she appeared, her own kunai out of it's holster…and pointed at his throat. "You tried to kill me, didn't you." She said, somewhat amused voice. Itachi smirked and said "Clever, only doing the substitution at the last minute. Otherwise my Sharingan would've seen right through it. Too bad though…" Suddenly Itachi turned into a log. "Doppleganger…" breathed Mika as she heard Itachi's voice from behind her. "You don't have the Sharingan." He said from his place over by the kids. Whirling around to face him, Mika hurled the kunai in his direction, barely missing him. "I told you to stay away from my daughter." Hissed the protective mother.

The other parents as well as the childless newlyweds were all armed now; ready to defend the children against whatever Itachi was willing to throw at them. "Well this is no fun." Putting his hands together he drew out a length of his own chakra, formed into a rope.

Which he bound tightly around the children.

Sienna screamed in pain while Keiko merely stared at the place where her mother's body had been and where now was a pile of leaves. "Mommy…is safe." She said, oblivious to the chakra ropes that were cutting her arms. That is, until the ropes cut so deep they made her bleed, causing the girl to mewl in pain.

The cries of pain of their children got to the parents in such a way that nothing else could. At this, they pulled out all the stops and fired up every single weapon they had in their arsenal. Gaara had Shukaku partially out while Mika held a Shuriken in one hand and raised two fingers in front of her face with the other one. Both Hyuuga's had the Byakkugan on and both Uchiha's had the Sharingan on. Seyann had partially released Celina; Naruto had Kyuubi's chakra out and Sakura's fist glowed with unreleased chakra.

Itachi took one look at the infuriated parents before deciding to make his escape while he still could. Dangling the bundle of children by the ropes, he took a step back, away from the crowd of angered parents. Making a single hand sign, he summoned his chakra and prepared to use a transport back to his hiding spot. Before he left, however, he spoke to the parents.

"I'm not done here. This is hardly even the beginning. I have these children…" Mika couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out "Why though? Why?" Itachi rolled his eyes and said "Patience. This is in revenge for all you people did to keep Celina away from the Akatsuki. Let that be a lesson to you. However…I don't get even…I get even and then some."

With a smirk on his visage, he unfurled one hand that he had been holding in loose fist. "I'll be back…in a month for yours…" he said this while pointing at Mika who gasped and stepped back into Gaara's protective embrace, "In about 7 months for yours…" he said pointing at Seyann who simply glared at him, fire in her eyes. He turned his finger on Michelle next.

"And in 8 months for yours."

It felt as though someone had stolen the very breath out of her. Collapsing onto the ground, her eyes opened wide as Neji wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "How did he know…" she said in a soft shocked voice.

Before anyone could answer her question, however, Itachi was gone in a swirl of black smoke…with the children.

Mika sagged into Gaara's arms, sobbing. "My baby…Keiko…" she sobbed into his shirtfront as he wrapped an arm tightly around her, waiting for Shukaku's arm to retract before doing the same with the other one. Kakashi was holding Seyann, Naruto was comforting Hinata, Sasuke was holding Sakura while he stared icily at the place where his brother had been and Neji bent over to examine Michelle.

"Mika…love, you shouldn't have spent that much chakra." Said Gaara, anxiously. Truthfully, however, he was purposefully provoking his wife. When Mika was this badly anguished…which didn't happen often, but when it did the best way for her to vent…was by screaming her head off.

"Do you not care?" she said, incredulously. "OUR DAUGHTER!" she exploded. "OUT DAUGHTER….OUR BABY,…THAT FREAK! THAT FREAK HAS OUR DAUGHTER!" She pounded on his chest, taking her frustration out in one of the only ways she knew how.

While he waited out the barrage of verbal and physical missiles that his wife threw at him, he rubbed her back in an effort to calm her down. When she seemed to be finished, he said in a calming voice "You know I will never stop caring about Keiko. And I swear, I will hunt to the ends of the earth until the day I die, if I have to, to get her back." He lowered his voice as he said this, knowing how it calmed her. "But you have to think about our new little one as well…if anything happens to him or her…Itachi wins. Do you want that?" Mika shook her head as tears started to fall down her cheaks.

"Are you okay 'Chelle?" asked Neji softly as he knelt by his wife, concern written very clearly in his voice. "Yeah…" said a shaky Michelle. "But how did he know? How…Neji you're the only one I told."

"Michelle…" he said to her gently, brushing renegade black hair out of her face. "You…never told me you were pregnant. It's a complete surprise to me." Her eyes opened wide. "But…I…yesterday. In the glade. I told you, I know I did." She concentrated before Sasuke interrupted her train of thought in an angry voice. "Itachi is excellent at doing transformations. He probably did that so he could get some information in order to get into your head later."

"Well he certainly succeeded." Heaving a sigh she allowed herself to be helped to her feet by her husband. "So…now what." The rest of the parents looked towards the pregnant woman as she posed that question. "How are we going to keep the new babies safe…"

"And how are we going to get our children back from Itachi." Said Mika in a firm but somewhat shaken voice, face contorted with rage.

Kakashi thought about this for a moment. "Well I'm not sure about the second half yet-we need to find out where his hiding spot is before we can pursue him…"

"But I'm pretty sure I have a solution to the first half of your problem."

A/N-I think this chapter is a little shorter and I apologize. I'm kind of tired tonight and I was fully intending not to type and post until tomorrow morning…and I would've done such had the friend who is Seyann in the story not been sitting right next to me…

She's my ball and chain. Without her…the story would've ended a LONG time ago…But she's one heckofa slave driver.

And I'm sorry that there's no one-shot tonight...there will be one tomorrow night. The only reason that there isn't one tonight (it's not for lack of ideas...thanks to Elemental Dragon2.0 and Kyiri as well as my friend who is Seyann in this story for all the ideas) I'm just too tired tonight.

Anyways…REVIEW!


	37. Chapter 37

A/N-OI! Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Kyiri Makrono, ReiKai101,Dog of the Dead,Loku, supershark1, Kagime and the owl, iamNOTafangirl (anon) and Duckichan87. Please Read and Review as well as reading the A/N at the bottom...LATER!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 37

As one, the group moved back into the safety of Hokage tower, settling into Kakashi's private office. Chairs were brought for the pregnant women so that they would be steady and able to focus on listening to Kakashi and not on remaining standing. "Right now…" he said as he stood behind his desk, Seyann in his chair. "Our priority is to find Itachi, track him down and get our children back. But." Here he paused and lay a hand on his wife's shoulder. "We also have to consider those among us who are currently expecting. Hinata, Sakura are either of you pregnant" Both shook their head, no. "Very well then. This only pertains to Michelle, Mika and Sey."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. Gaara stood behind Mika, a protective hand on her shoulder while she leaned her cheek against it. Tears were flowing down her face silently, indicating she was unable to get over the fact that her little girl was gone. "What do you recommend Kakashi?" asked the Kazekage firmly. Kakashi responded by leaning forward and pulling a photo out of a random file on his desk. "This." He slid it across the table so that everyone could see it.

"Michelle…" breathed Mika. "That's your house."

For, indeed, it was a snapshot of Michelle's old house where she had, until not too long ago resided. "This is your solution Hokage-Sama?" questioned Neji. He seemed to understand what the implications of the photo were. "Neji…you understand what's happening?" Asked his wife. Her new husband avoided her question instead asking her "How long have you known?"

"Since yesterday." She said, temporarily sidetracked. "Sakura" she nodded to her cousin in law "Sensed it. And I thought I only told you…and it was him…" She said in a dead voice. Her baby wasn't a month old and already it was threatened. Neji held her comfortingly while Sasuke spoke up. "What's your idea for protecting them Kakashi?" concern for his cousin overwriting his hatred of his brother.

"I think Neji had figured it out. It's that house." "Is it hidden with some jutsu's?" Kakashi shook his head. "Better. It's Michelle's house." The three Kunoichi gasped as they fully grasped the implications.

After about 6 years for Mika and Seyann and about a year for Michelle Kakashi wanted them to go back for protection.

"You need to go somewhere where Itachi cannot get to you…and the only portal we know of is fiercely guarded in Hokage tower. I bought Michelle's house when it went back on the market as almost a insurance policy in case something like this ever happened. The house will come fully furnished with two cars to be used as needed, as well as more money than you will ever need. And you as well as your unborn children will all be safe."

Mika was the first to voice her objections.

"No. I refuse to leave this world until I know that my daughter is safe." She said in a stubborn, irresolute voice. Gaara closed his eyes and started to rub her shoulders, leaning down to whisper "calm down" in her ear along with some stuff that no one else could hear. At this she started to dissolve. "No….I don't want to leave until I know she's safe." She buried her face in her hands black hair cascading over her face, as Gaara continued to rub her shoulders.

Seyann stood up from her seat behind Kakashi's desk, and stepped towards Mika. "Mi-chan." She said softly, using a nickname that hadn't been used in years, "Look up at me…" Mika took her head out of her hand and looked at Seyann's blue eyes. "You're not the only one grieving. I miss Sienna more than anything. But we have to think of the babies…especially you who are due very soon." Mika slowly nodded, silently accepting what her heart wouldn't."

Kakashi looked over at Gaara. "How soon can her stuff be here from Suna?" The answer came in the form of sand coming out of the floor and forming a small suit-case shaped mound. Slowly the sand faded away and all that was left was Mika's small tote bag that she used for overnight stays, filled with enough to get her by until more could be brought. This caused everyone except the Kazekage himself to sweat drop. However, when Gaara snapped "What?" in an annoyed voice, Kakashi raised a hand and waved it off saying "Nothing, nothing."

The Hokage then turned to the rest of them and said "Neji, Michelle can you go get Michelle's stuff packed please? I'll go pack for Seyann." "I'll come." Said Seyann quietly. With the girls soon leaving, time together between the couples was much needed.

As soon as the first couple of Konoha were out of earshot, Seyann took her slight frustration out on her husband. "Kakashi, where did you get an idea like that?" Kakashi sighed. "I've been worrying about an attack like this for a couple weeks. Just recently I heard rumors that Itachi was still alive, I just didn't think anything of it because I had remembered him committing suicide in front of Sasuke. And then we dug up his grave and discovered it was a missing nin from the mist village. I became worried that something would happen and bought that house."

Seyann looked at her husband startled. "You knew Itachi was still alive? Why didn't you say anything?" He avoided her gaze. "Because they were still unsubstantiated rumors. I was just trying to be safe, when I got this safe house." He smiled bitterly. "Looks like I should've acted sooner."

"Yes, dear, I think you should've." Snapped Seyann, annoyance for her husband's indecisivenessh coming out.

Sasuke and Sakura left to go home as did Naruto and Hinata, after Sasuke told his cousin goodbye. At that point, when Mika and Gaara were alone in Hokage tower, they began to talk some more and Mika confided in her husband one of the reasons she didn't want to leave.

"I want to help you get Keiko back…" she said desperately, trying to persuade her stubborn husband to let her stay. He, however, shook his head, red hair causing a gentle rustle as he did. "Think of the baby." Was all he countered with.

"There's something else…and I swear I will not leave until Kakashi says that this will happen…" Gaara sighed at his wife's stubbornness before saying "What is it?" he said gently. "I want you to be there for the birth." He smiled his little smile that he only did for her. "I'll be there. Even if I have to fight every ANBU in Hokage tower."

Mika sighed. She really didn't want to do this. Oh she had resigned herself to the fact that she was…she just didn't want to. It was kind of like when she was younger and needed blood work or a shot to be done. It had to be done but she fought it with every ounce of her strength.

Gaara stood her up and turned her to face him, so that she looked directly in his eyes. "I swear I will devote every day to finding her. I'll work with the Konoha ANBU, the Suna ANBU…who ever it takes to get her back." He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, a gentle but solid reminder that even on top of everything he had to do, he would always consider her and their children first.

They abruptly broke apart, however, when Seyann cleared her throat from where she was standing at the door with Kakashi. Mika avoided her friend's eyes as she blushed cherry red.

"It's time. Michelle and Neji are already waiting downstairs at the portal." Said the Hokage softly.

Picking up his wife's bag, Gaara took Mika's arm and escorted her down stairs. The scene that they came across almost made Mika cry. Neji and Michelle were standing in a tight embrace, the kind that made the others wonder if they would ever be able to pry the two apart. A green duffel sat at Michelle's feet.

All she could do was cling to her new husband. She really didn't want to leave…she just got married for crying out loud. She could feel her body start to shudder as sobs traveled through it, only to have Neji start rubbing her back. "Hey… 'Chelle." He said softly, trying to comfort her, but only succeeded in causing her to start sobbing as she heard his voice. "I don't want to leave you…I just married you…I want to be with you." Her eyes narrowed as the beginning of hatred formed in her gut. "Damn Itachi."

"But if you ever want to see me, just send a message through the Hokage. I'll be here in a second." He leaned in and kissed her, hard and desperately. "Even if you're gone I'll still love you." He whispered against her mouth. He shut his eyes gently and opened them, turning on the Byakkugan and then looking his wife's body up and down.

"Hey." she pushed against his chest gently, in a laughing voice. "Stop undressing me with your eyes." He turned it off and smiled gently at her.

The bags were thrown in first. "Kakashi, you boys will come through when we're in labor respectively. Right?" said Mika with a hopeful look on her face. Kakashi looked startled for a moment before responding with a "Of course we will… I'll also send Sakura through each time in order to make sure everything goes smoothly." With that Mika had to be content. Gaara took her into his arms and kissed her hard, possessively and passionately. "I'll miss you Gaa-Kun." She whispered against his mouth, tears falling down her cheeks. Taking her hand gently he helped her through the mirror.

Seyann threw her arms around Kakashi's neck and buried her face in his ceremonial robes, not caring that her tears were spoiling the silk. He breathed in her scent and, pulling away, leaned down to kiss her hard on her mouth, one hand planted firmly on her…backside. Normally behavior like this would land the perverted leader in the doghouse with his wife but considering the situation, she allowed it. Turning away from him-not wanting him to see her tears-she ran through the mirror, not before allowing a sob to escape her lips.

Michelle and Neji were the hardest to separate. They were continually kissing as Neji gently forced his wife backwards until her back was touching the liquid of the portal. "One word and I'll be right there." He whispered. "I love you…" she said in a broken voice. He responded by kissing her again before she fell backwards through the mirror.

Mika, Sey and Michelle looked around Michelle's old training room. Kakashi had had it restored to it's former glory with boxes of weapons, punching bags and the like.

"Welcome home." Said Seyann in a dry and slightly bitter voice.

A/N-Well. I wonder what the response will be on this chapter...Review!

Oh! I'm putting a 'first-come-first-serve' request for someone to help me with a one-shot I'm in the middle of writing for 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'. I'm using the idea that Loku gave me about when Itachi transformed into Neji and heard that Michelle was pregnant and while what I'm thinking works in my head but I can't word it properly. Some help...would be appreciated!

Later!


	38. Chapter 38

A/N-Wow…24 reviews when I woke up this morning…please note that most of those were from SEYANN! Who decided to review the story even though she's already read the rough…but for those of you who aren't characters in this story, I shall thank you here-Kyiri Makrono, MyNameIsKelsie13 (glomp for new reviewer) Loku, Kyuubi92, ReiKai101, Duckichan87, Dog of the Dead, and Supershark1. Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 38

He paced around the small hut, his long black hair swirling as he went. It had been several days since he had kidnapped these children and his thoughts caused a wicked smirk graced the face of Uchiha Itachi. As he went, he kept throwing glances over to the bundle of children... he had removed the chakra ropes, only to replace them with real ropes, thick ones. He figured that the kids were all about 4…what kind of trouble were they going to cause him?

The smirk was for what exactly he was going to use these children for.

The boldest one-the one that the Kazekage's wife had struggled to protect-Keiko or Kikyo or something like that- spoke up. "Umm…Mr. Itachi…what do you want us for?" Sliding a red eye over towards the small black haired girl, he sent her his best glare. This, for some reason, caused Mika to giggle.

"Your face looks funny…it looks like my daddy's after he's had a hard day at work." She said between giggles. "Seriously…Mr. Itachi why did you take us?"

"I'm not quite sure yet…your parents did something to me several years ago… I'm just thinking…" he smirked. "Children are so easy to brain wash…I'm thinking to send you guys back to your parents as little Akatsuki soldiers…that would be appropriate revenge." Keiko's hazel eyes widened in fear. "No…I'll never fight my mother…or my daddy."

She was interrupted when a silky female laugh filled the room. "Yes, Itachi this is all about revenge. This is revenge because you and your pathetic Akatsuki lackeys couldn't get your hands on me 6 years ago." He almost gasped from shock. "It won't work you know, Uchiha idiot…" she glanced over to the black haired boy "No offence Itachi-Chan" The younger Uchiha shook his head. "It's ok."

There was a smirk in her voice as she continued. "They will come for the children."

"You… which one are you." The small silver haired girl who was bound behind Keiko looked up, her eyes in the shape of a Neko. Walking over, he bent down so that he could look directly into her eyes. "My spirit is split into two as a form of protection…fight me and Seyann will know. And she will be able to track me down. This vessel is her daughter Sienna." There was a sound that resembled a sword being drawn from a sheath…except almost a more natural sound.

Like claws being unsheathed.

A murderous glint came too the eyes of the 4 year old. "And I am Celina…"

Unnoticed by Itachi, Celina had been subtly moving around until she was loose enough to carry through with her plan…and swung her hand forward towards his face, severing the thick rope with her razor sharp claws.

Seyann, Mika and Michelle were sitting down to a meal that they had prepared together when her half of Celina alerted her to the fact that Sienna was fighting. She clutched her fork and knife tightly in her hand, shaking very unnoticeably. In fact Mika and 'Chelle didn't notice anything until Seyann managed to squeeze some words out. Gasping softly, she said, "She's…fighting… him." Immediately the other two put down their utensils and dragged their chairs over to Seyann's side, arms around her shoulders. Her body shuddered as she felt Celina take some of her chakra in order to try and sustain the half, which was in combat.

"Michelle go call Kakashi!" Said Mika in an urgent voice. The Uchiha complied but before she even got down the stairs, Seyann was doubled over and screaming in pain. "I didn't know this would happen…when I found out she had half of Celina…but I feel everything..." Gasping again, she looked at Mika with tears in her eyes. "He just hit her…"

Blood from three identical scratch marks dripped down Itachi's face where Celina's claws had struck him. Her Neko eyes looked almost murderous, as she prepared to strike again. He, however, caught her off guard when he reached up to brush his face. "Not bad." He said. However, Celina had made the mistake of keeping within arms reach of Itachi. Before she could move, he backhanded her on the cheek-hard.

And sent her flying across the room.

Kakashi came through the mirror at a dead run and, putting chakra into his feet, ran up the stairs into the kitchen. Seyann was sobbing quietly into Mika's arms, while Mika stroked the woman's straight dirty blonde hair. As soon as Kakashi showed up however, Mika handed Sey right over. The Hokage placed two fingers on his wife's forehead and muttered a quick, temporary sealing jutsu, which temporarily bound Celina so that Itachi wouldn't hurt his daughter for resisting anymore.

A look of relief crossed Seyann's face. "Thank you Kakashi." She passed into unconsciousness, just limp in his arms.

Sienna lay immobile against the wall, as Keiko, young Itachi, and Kame looked on in horror. It took them a moment, however, to realize that when Sienna had severed the ropes, she had set them all free. As such, the other three were quickly around Sienna, flanking her and prepared to protect her from the older Uchiha. Being rather young, they didn't have that much chakra control yet but they were their parent's children.

Keiko always had some paper weapons on her, her mother having taught her how to use her bloodline trait, and these she transformed and delegated to her friends.

"Touching." Said Itachi dryly. Creating some chakra ropes with his hands, he prepared to tie the children back up, saying, "You know, I really didn't want to have to hurt you guys."

The three conscious children exchanged a look. This grown up obviously hadn't dealt with a group of 4 year olds before. These two were a fluid team when it came to escaping adults…at the age of three, working together, they had managed to get out from under Gaara's watchful eye (as in his third eye) and had escaped to play on the streets of Suna. As her father had taught her, Keiko held out her hand and summoned her sand from a small ring she wore on her hand.

As he sat in the office of the Kazekage, his senses tingled slightly. He could tell that the sand was responding to someone else-not him. He hadn't summoned the sand…and as far as he knew his daughter was the only other one who bore the ability to control sand…

He leaned back away from his desk, sighing. Unable to focus on his paperwork while this sense was acting up, he ran a hand through his red hair, wondering if this meant that the children were fighting back.

It hadn't taken that long to subdue the adult. The first thing that the children had done was Itachi Jr and Kame both raced towards his feet faster than he could see and grabbed onto his legs. Keiko had then walked forward, hand outstretched, causing the sand to wrap around his body. Being so young and untrained at using this weapon, however, it didn't hold for long and Itachi had soon broken free of his restraints. Which was exactly what the children had wanted him to do.

When he leapt forward to break out of the sand, there was a rope of combined chakra waiting for him. Using a technique he had seen his father do, he had taken some of Keiko's chakra and Kame's chakra and combined them to make a chakra rope. Itachi fell into this rope and it immediately wrapped around him and held him fast.

"Nice work Itachi-Chan." Said Keiko with a smile. Itachi blushed and muttered some nonsense before going over to pick up Sienna. As he did this it stirred the young girl from her unconsciousness. Itachi snarled from where he was tied up. "You guys will pay for this."

"No Itachi….Celina is telling me what to say…Papa must've sealed her in mama or else she'd be saying this." Sienna took in a breath. "She says you won't be able to touch us again. Our parents will protect us with their lives. You just let us slip out of your fingers…nice try."

With her body supported between Kame and Itachi-Chan, they went over to Keiko.

Who promptly summoned her sand again, doing something she hadn't done before…transport with the sand. She tried to get them as close to Konoha as she could manage.

Gaara had just come in from Suna, and was walking through the forest towards the city gates when he felt an unusual spike in chakra behind him. Whirling around, he saw a cloud of sand plume out of nowhere. Stepping forward quickly, he held out his arms…

And caught his daughter as she collapsed from exhaustion.

A/N-There you go...I think that that might not have been enough Hell but...Itachi can't get them again, that should be enough! Review! I've put a new one-shot in 'Pieces'...enjoy...gotta hurry, my power is flickering!

Read and Review!


	39. Chapter 39

A/N-GLOMPS REVIEWERS... WOOT! you guys rock, honestly...you know why? Ladies and Gentlemen we've hit 200 reviews! I _never_ expected this kind of response to this story...BUT I'M GLAD. Thanks to those who have reviewed the last chapter (takes deep breath as to do all in one breath) --- Kyiri Makrono, Dog of the Dead, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Duckichan87, Loku, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, supershark1, Seyann (yes, **_that _**Seyann), ReiKai101 and Loki Zentra. (Takes Breath.) Read and Review...

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 39

"Please take the message to them right away, my wife needs to know." The ANBU nodded and, turning on his heel, hurried up the many flights of stairs to the mirror room. "Hokage-Sama! HOKAGE-SAMA!" Yelled the ANBU at the mirror.

Upstairs Kakashi was just in the middle of reviving his wife however, when the ANBU called in such an urgent voice Mika told him to go, maybe they'll have news of the children. Indeed when he went downstairs and after a moment gave a shout of joy and raced back up the stairs, Mika knew what it was.

Mika had, in her life to the point where she could remember, never felt as much relief as she had when Kakashi came charging up the stairs and said in a joyful tone to Mika and his newly awoken wife that the children had been found by Gaara just outside of Konoha, and were now safe and sound in Hokage Tower. She moved as fast as she could down to the mirror with Kakashi and Seyann right behind her. When she rounded the corner and saw the portal leading to Hokage Tower…and saw her daughter standing there…

She lost it.

"Keiko!" She half shrieked half sobbed. Dimly, she was aware of Seyann responding similarly when she saw Sienna, but Mika had eyes only for Keiko. She could see Gaara standing behind their daughter, gently nudging her through the mirror. With this hint, the girl lunged through the portal, black hair trailing behind her, at her mother. "MOMMY!" She shrieked, tears brimming over in her eyes as she clung to her pregnant mother's legs. Mika carefully pried her daughter off of her legs and knelt down so she could hold her distraught daughter.

"How did you…" She sobbed as she held her daughter. "You're safe…."

Sienna was being held tight in an embrace by both her father and mother, mother admonishing her for releasing Celina when, in reality, that was her mother praising her for having the intelligence to let the Neko out.

Mika felt her daughter sag slightly in her arms. "What's wrong?" "I had to use the sand to get us out of there…" said Keiko. "I'm tired." "Ohh…" crooned Mika. "Well then we should get you to sleep. What…" suddenly Mika let out a sharp gasp, upon seeing her daughter's upper arms where first the chakra ropes and then the real ropes had formed a series of cuts and scrapes, so that it was raw. Fury at Itachi made her start to tremble.

Gaara took note of this and attempted to calm her down with a hand on her sleeve. At this contact, Mika turned to her husband, still holding her daughter. "I want his life Gaara. I want to see him suffer. Please…he hurt our…" She gasped again before saying "He hurt our…"

She began to breathe irregularly, releasing her daughter…

And laying a hand on her swollen stomach.

"Is it time Ka-Chan?" Said Gaara quickly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She nodded and gasped yet again as another contraction hit. Seyann and Kakashi had looked over when Gaara said this only to be confronted with their friend doubled over in pain, still clutching her daughter. "But she's not due for another couple weeks." Said Seyann, confused. "Keiko…" she gasped out "Came early, remember."

Michelle had waited upstairs for the reunions to finish and had just come downstairs only to be faced with her friend doubled over in pain. Looking up at her, Gaara asked "Michelle can you go get Sakura please?" while he started escorting his wife up the stairs. "Take… Keiko…with you…" gasped out Mika, not wanting her daughter to see her in labor and thus in pain. "Sienna too…we're going to be too busy."

Michelle took each little girl by the hand and went through the mirror back into Konoha. The ANBU currently standing guard was none other than her new husband who removed his mask and said urgently "What is it." Michelle released the girl's hands and accepted Neji's hug and kiss. "Mika's in labor. I need to go get Sakura…can you mind these two for a few minutes while I go get her?" Neji nodded and took each of the girl's hands.

It didn't take long and very soon, Michelle was racing up the stairs of Hokage Tower, her cousin-in-law right behind her. Skidding to a stop just before the mirror room, the two composed themselves and hurried inside. Keiko was sitting on the floor with her back to the mirror while Neji attempted to play I Spy with her and Sienna had fallen asleep.

It was now that Michelle noticed how quiet Keiko was. The normally bubbly girl was quiet, withdrawn and not responding to Neji at all. "Neji…take Sakura through the mirror. I'm going to talk with Keiko." Her husband nodded and escorted his old friend through the mirror.

"Keiko what's wrong?" Suddenly a scream came through the mirror and Keiko jumped burying her face into Michelle's shirtfront. "Oh! Are you worried for your mother?" she asked gently. The chatty girl nodded, feeling the material of Michelle's shirt underneath her cheek. "I think I did this to mommy." She said quietly, tears starting to spill over. Michelle gaped, pulling the girl away from her shirtfront to look into her hazel eyes. "Why do you think that?" she said gently.

"Because it was after I hugged her that this happened…did I hurt the baby in mommy's tummy?"She asked, her eyes filling with more tears."No!" Michelle exclaimed. She pulled the girl back close and stroked her black, red streaked hair.

"Mommy's in pain right now, because it was your little siblings time to come. You had nothing to do with it."

"But…I hugged her hard." Michelle laughed gently. "That doesn't make the baby come out sweetie!"

Keiko's tired hazel eyes lit up. "So it's not my fault?" Michelle shook her head. "No." Keiko finally succumbed to her exhaustion, saying as she drifted off "I'm so glad…"

The hours went by. Sienna and Keiko both woke up at one point and were hungry so Michelle took them for Ramen before coming back.

When they got back, however Sakura was at the mirror with Seyann and Kakashi. "Where did you guys go? It's done! Keiko, you have a little brother!" Kakashi picked up his daughter, while Seyann took Keiko's hand and led her upstairs. Michelle went ahead to explain to Mika and Gaara what her daughter had feared in order to prepare them.

Keiko stepped timidly into the room, taken aback at hearing the lusty wails of the newborn. Soon, however Mika had calmed the baby down and was cooing softly to him. "Keiko…come here and meet your new brother." Gaara went over to the door and knelt down in front of his daughter. "Come on." Leaning in closer he whispered an assurance in his daughter's ear "You didn't do this Keiko…" She nodded and he picked her up and carried her over to the bed.

"He's so small." Was the first thing she said of her little brother. Mika smiled tiredly, her black hair fanned out around her on the pillow. "I don't blame you for thinking that honey, he's a little early." Keiko looked at her little brother. He had a shock of red hair sticking out of the top of his head and he opened his eyes and looked at his big sister with a pair of jade eyes.

"His name is Kenji." Said Mika, smiling. "K..Kenji…" said Keiko carefully. She broke into a smile and kissed her little brother on the forhead. Mika rested her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes.

"I'll protect little brother Kenjifrom Mr. Itachi!" she said in a happy voice.

This jolted Mika and Gaara back to reality. Mika opened her eyes and looked at Gaara in the eyes, over the heads of their children. In the joy of the moment, they had completely forgotten.

Itachi had promised to come back for the babies.

A/N- Well. There you go. Next chapter sucessfully completed. With this there is a one-shot in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'. Enjoy. REVIEW!


	40. Chapter 40

A/N-I am firm in the belief that I will be requiring a bomb shelter at the end of this chapter…mostly because of events that occur in this chapter plus my Announcement-

I must take another Week Long Hiatus. After today's update…. I won't be able to do so until next Friday. Kingdom Bound '06 calls. Gomen Nasai…

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter Kyiri Makrono, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Supershark1, Loku, Loki Zentra, and Duckichan87.

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or 'Bring me to Life' by Evanesance which is also mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter 40

She looked into her peripheral vision and watched the dust being kicked up from the erratic spinning of the wheels. Quickly she slammed on the brakes, causing the car to go full 360 so that she faced the way she had just come.

So much for Kakashi's theory that she was out of practice. For driving that is.

Seyann took her hands temporarily off the wheel and tightened her driving gloves. Pulling her hair back out of her face she felt a thrill run through her veins from the adrenaline of driving. 'I should've' she thought idly 'been a racecar driver.'

There was a good reason that Mika and Michelle had refused to go driving with her, even when they were younger. She casually threw the car into park and revved the engine, wanting to show off for…well nobody considering she was all alone in this old stretch of road. It had been two weeks since Neji and Michelle had gotten married and about a week and a half since Kenji had been born.

After this event, Kakashi had given the three women and the children (who had been sent to live with Sey, Mika and Michelle for protection) instructions that they were never to go off on their own, under any circumstances. As a direct order from the Hokage they had to listen. Good thing for Seyann, however, that Kakashi was her husband…. orders from the Hokage didn't apply to her.

As Sey threw the car back into drive with a thoughtless gesture and heard the intro for a song she hadn't heard in 6 years starting on the radio- 'Bring me to Life' by Evanesance. As the piano notes floated over her ears, she reached over for the volume and twisted the volume to the highest tolerable setting. As she went drove back up the road, kicking up dust, drumming on the wheel and singing as she went she had no idea how imminent danger actually was.

Until another voice went off next to her ear, saying in a light whisper "Bring me to life…" in the exact timing of the song.

Seyann jumped in shock and horror, the wheel spinning under her loose grip, causing her to lose control of the car but only for a brief instant. She slammed on the brakes and turned into the skid as she had learned in driving school. Her car pulled another 360 only this time she came perilously close to skidding into the ditch. As the car came to a stop, she felt a cold blade press against her throat. She glanced sharply into the rearview mirrors. Meeting the red gaze of the Sharingan, she took in a breath. "Itachi." She said quietly, almost in a snarl.

"I'm flattered you recognize me Lady Seyann." He said with a smirk on his face. He was wearing, not his Akatsuki cloak but rather clothes that would make him blend in with this world-a black band t-shirt from a concert and a pair of faded blue jeans. His long black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.

"How the hell would I not recognize you teme?" she spat. "You kidnapped my daughter right in front of me." Her eyes glowed Neko.

"Not so fast Celina." He said, pressuring her jugular with the kunai. "You stay in there or I kill her." Seyann bit back a yelp as the blade cut her throat. "You can't kill me."

"Praytell why not Lady Sey?" said Itachi in a false questioning voice. "You've tempted me…out here in the middle of nowhere, no defense…" he reached forward and pulled one of her bangs out of her face. She shuddered and flinched under his touch causing him to smirk widely. She had kept her hands on the wheel, clutching it so hard that her knuckles were turning white.

She wouldn't dignify him with an answer. Instead she shifted around with her feet near the pedals, until she found it.

Kakashi had obviously learned by now what a rebellious streak his wife contained. As such, earlier when she was getting used to the car she had found an extra pedal, one he had had installed. And she had a pretty good idea what it was for.

She stomped it. Hard. And was rewarded with the satisfying sound of ripping upholstery and kunai's cutting into flesh. The kunai that had been at her neck dropped harmlessly into her lap and she snapped it up, undid her seatbelt and whirled around.

Itachi was gone. In his place was a log that had been stuck from the underside with numerous kunai that had been hidden in the seat.

She started to shake. Hard. Taking the gearshift in her hand she shifted it into drive, spun on a dime, and sped home…she had to get to the portal. She went as fast as her car could go.

* * *

He heard the tires squeal as she pulled into the drive. He put the finishing touches on the Jutsu and melted into the bushes to watch his evil plan come to fruition.

* * *

A ripple of chakra passed through her body and continued on through the house. She looked up from her novel abruptly, strands of black hair falling in her eyes, but before she could identify it, the chakra pattern had disappeared.

* * *

She threw the car into park and shut it off in one fluid movement. Throwing open her door, she stepped out quickly, trying to avoid looking at the mess in the back seat. Slamming the car door, she barreled up the stairs and into the house, dirty blonde hair streaming behind her. 

As soon as she got into the hallway, she yelled at the top of her lungs "Mika! Michelle!" When no one responded she tried to recall where everyone was supposed to be today. Michelle had taken the children and had gone out for the day…

Mika should still be there. She started to panic when she called again and no one responded to her summons. 'I have to get Kakashi' was all she thought as she barreled down the stairs to the mirror.

Two ANBU flanked the mirror, acting as guards. Someone plunging through the mirror at top speed caused them to react as one. "Lady Seyann!" Exclaimed one, helping her to her feet gently. He took in her neck and saw the thin slice on her neck. "Are you okay? He asked urgently. "For now…just scared…where is the Hokage?" she took a breath. "Where is my husband?"

They glanced at each other, expressions unreadable behind their porcelain masks.

"In his office but…" Seyann had already started for the door. "But what?" she asked, barely pausing. "But he doesn't want to be disturbed."

Seyann turned back, orange annoyance in her eyes.

"Not even by his wife?" she demanded angrily. "Not even by the mother of his daughter, the woman pregnant with his next child? The one he loves? Hold your tounge." The ANBU bowed his head and said "Yes Milady."

Turning back to the door she smirked. It wasn't often she used her power as the Hokage's wife.

Her feet pounded on the stairs as she went down, wanting nothing more than to get to the comforting arms of her husband. Finally reaching his office, she swung the door open and began talking. "Kakashi he was there…in the other world…Ita-" Then she looked up.

* * *

"Yes….I don't know what's wrong….She just barreled into the house almost like she didn't see me….Yes I think he might be behind it but…how did he get here? Come home…. Something's not right…this was about an hour ago…ok, see you soon."

* * *

Flames danced in her eyes, eyes wide open. She felt nothing except the feeling of her broken heart. Other than that…she had gone completely numb… 

She couldn't even hate the girl that was all over her husband…anger hadn't sunk in yet. Her husband was looking at her in horror. "S..Sey what are you doing here?"

Kakashi had his arms on either side of a smaller figure pinned to the wall.

_She_ had her hands against Kakashi's bare chest. Her shirt was in the process of being extracted when Seyann had barged in and began to talk to her husband.

_She_ had black hair and hazel eyes.

A/N- I think I'm going to gointo my bomb shelter now. If popular demand wants it, I'll try to find time to write tomorrow….key word...try. I don't think I will be able too. With this there isa one-shot in 'Pieces'. Enjoy!

Read and Review!


	41. Chapter 41

A/N-WEEE I'M BACK! Kingdom Bound was a blast! So much fun…Seyann if you're reading this…WOOT! Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter Kyiri Makrono, Loku, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Dog of the Dead, Seyann (anon…. yes THAT Seyann again), MyNameIsKelsie13, supershark1, Loki Zentra, ReiKai101, duckichan87, Kyuubi92, Ultra Big Fan (Anon) and Yargy the Pirate Queen. Enjoy the update, and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 41

The liquid of the portal drifted over her arms and mingled with the tears from her eyes. For some reason it took her longer than normal to pass through the portal but the pain she was feeling made it so that she didn't notice it. Finally she came out of the passage between the worlds and landed on her hands and knees on the carpet of the training room.

Her brown-blonde hair cascaded over her face, hiding her eyes and therefore her inner emotions. Tears dripped off of the tip of her nose and landed on the carpet. Her body visibly shook, and she slammed a fist into the floor, leaving a slight dent.

Cautious footsteps approached the prostrate girl. Seyann felt a weight drape on her shoulder…a hand. "Sey?" she asked cautiously. Michelle.

Seyann looked up at her friend her eyes burning with a red-blue fire. While the emotion evident was clear-fury- there was a sort of look in her eyes, something that no specific color could define. Betrayal. Utter loss. Hurt. "I…saw him…" her voice trembled as she looked at Michelle. Michelle wrapped her arms around Seyann, feeling the girl shake in her grasp. Seyann looked back down at the floor. "It was worse than when I found him on the beach." Michelle made a sound as though she had been punched in the stomach and gathered Sey into her arms. "Oh Sey…" she whispered into her friend's hair.

"Seyann are you okay?" Her eyes shot open as this other, obviously concerned voice penetrated her consciousness…

Her.

Fierce hatred broiled up in Seyann's gut…fierce hatred and an incredible bloodlust.

Mika reached out a hand to comfort her friend and was taken aback when a feral snarl stopped her. "Don't you dare touch me." Mika froze in mid-reach.

A fierce chakra began to pour from their friend's body, driving Michelle away from her comforting position. She lowered her head so that her bangs were hidden, but not her mouth. Mika could visibly see incisors lengthening and her fingernails lengthening and digging into the carpet as her friend clenched her hands into fists.

"Does Gaara know?" Her voice was almost unrecognizable. They had only seen her in true Celina form once before when Sienna had been threatened and they had been terrified that their friend had been lost to the demon permanently but once the danger had passed and the threat had been dealt with Celina had willingly surrendered control back to Seyann.

"What?" said Mika uncertainly, not wanting to aggravate the demon anymore than she was but this confusion just seemed to intensify the demon's fury. "I asked you…does my cousin know?" Mika took a step towards her friend, reaching out a hand. "Does Gaara know what?"

Seyann looked up at Mika, hair positioned so that only a single eye was visible-a single, red, Neko eye…

Celina was released.

"DOES GAARA KNOW THAT HIS BELOVED WIFE IS A LITTLE CHEATING SLUT?" She half growled, half screamed swinging her razor sharp claws at her friend, leaving three jagged claw marks on her friend's outstretched hand.

Mika withdrew her hand quickly and clutched her bleeding hand to herself. She barely had time to tense as Sey gathered chakra into her feet and leapt at her. Mika sidestepped the attack, astonished to the point where she released her bleeding hand and simply gaped at her possessed friend. "What are you _talking_ about Seyann?" She said in true confusion.

"Seyann!" said Michelle in an attempt to quell her friend's demonic anger. "Calm down, come to your senses girl! You know that Mika would never cheat on Gaara, you know it!"

Seyann was too far gone to listen to reason.

"I saw them 'Chelle. I just walked in on them making out in Kakashi's office." Her voice was nothing more than a snarl at this point and her gaze was steady on Mika, whose anger and annoyance were growing at the insinuation presented. Her hazel eyes flashed as she ground out angrily "How dare you…"

Suddenly Michelle sensed something. It was faint…and she wondered how she never felt it before but she felt…_Uchiha chakra_.

Itachi. This had something to do with him.

As she came into this realization Seyann was already at Mika's throat, gleaming claws only held back by Mika whose strength was no match for Celina's.

"Mika! Something's wrong…I think Itachi did something. Can you hold her off for as long as it takes me to get Kakashi?" Mika struggled, holding Seyann's wrist just above her neck before twisting away, which caused Sey to plunge her claws into the carpet. Nodding to Michelle, she tensed and prepared for the next attack.

Sliding past the spot where her friends were battling, she reached the portal and poked her head through. Catching sight of the ANBU guard who was watching the mirror, she said quickly "Is the Hokage in?"

The ANBU stepped forward and she saw him tense. "No he's in Suna…. what's wrong?" Michelle groaned and swallowed before saying "Ok. Send the fastest among you to Suna right away. Even if he's in a top secret meeting you are to fetch him and bring him back here…bring Gaara too if you can… tell him that Seyann has lost control of Celina." The ANBU gasped and was gone before Michelle could blink.

Going back into the training room, Michelle became even more acutely aware of just how much of a life-or-death struggle this fight was. Mika had lost whatever slight upper hand she had been granted and was lying on the floor, pinned by Seyann, claws cutting her throat. Michelle threw herself forward and tackled Seyann off of Mika but at the same time succeeded in getting herself

A creak alerted her to the presence at the top of the stairs. Michelle turned to look at the top of the stairs, head spinning so quickly that her black hair whipped her face. "Sienna." she said quietly. The little girl stood at the top of the stairs, foot poised to come downstairs. "Mommy? Is she okay? Celina is saying things…"

"She's fine Sienna, hon, go back upstairs…. make sure everyone stays upstairs." Sienna looked confused but she obliged her 'aunt'. Michelle, meanwhile circled so that her back was too the

Seyann wiped blood off of the corner of her mouth, product of slamming into the wall from Michelle's blow.

"So…are you on her side…did you know all along? Why…" something, however, made her pause. She narrowed her eyes at a spot over Michelle's shoulder. "You."

Michelle glanced over her shoulder and saw, much to her relief, Kakashi and Gaara standing there, eyes wide open. "You bastard." Hissed the enraged neko demon vessel. She made a leap for Kakashi, shoving Michelle out of the way.

Instead of defending himself, Kakashi welcomed Seyann with open arms. Gaara left the Hokage's side to tend to his wife who was sitting up, hand on her throat.

"How dare you?" snarled Seyann/Celina. "How dare you cheat on me?" Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise and pain as his wife's claws dug into his upper arms. "It was an illusion, I believe." Said Michelle tersely. Kakashi nodded and turned back to his wife. "I saw you with her…" she pointed a clawed finger at Mika and growled at her cousin "Are you sure Kenji's yours?"

Gaara new better than to reason with someone under the influence of a demon. "He has red hair." He said simply.

"I would never cheat on you Seyann." He murmured softly to his wife, his breath brushing her ear. This always had had a calming effect on her and today was absolutely no exception. The next time she spoke, she was less Celina and more Seyann. "Really?" she said in a small uncertain, insecure voice. "Really."

Seyann slowly came down from Celina form. Her claws retracted and she slowly started to almost deflate into her husband's arms. "It was Itachi's doing…I'm thinking as a diversion..." Michelle trailed off.

Struggling was heard upstairs. Keiko screamed…

Gaara and Mika were upstairs in a second, transported by Gaara's sand, to check on the children. Keiko and Sienna they found unconcious in the kitchen but when they proceeded upstairs…

In the basement Michelle, Seyann and Kakashi flinched as they heard Gaara's howl of rage and Mika's scream of grief and they knew…

Kenji was gone.

A/N- I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter…I'm actually going away…again….on Friday afternoon but this time I can take my computer and hopefully where I'm staying has internet access…(ducks head)

Read and Review!


	42. Chapter 42

A/N-Sorry to those of you to whom I said I would update last night…the hotel I stayed at did have internet but it was wired and I only have wireless…gomen nasai…but that gave me extra time to work on a one-shot that is being posted as well…enjoy. Thanks to ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Dog of the Dead, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Supershark1, Loku, Kyuubi92, Loki Zentra, Seyann (STOP REVIEWING BLAST IT! And yes, Six Flags was AWESOME!….the atomic wedgie…) and Duckichan87 for reviewing the last chapter…READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 42

_The black-haired rouge Shinobi stood on the wide branch of a tall sycamore tree that stood alone in the middle of a field in full view of Michelle's old house. Feeling a sharp tug on the pieces of his hair that had trailed within the baby's grasp, he looked down at the bundle in his arms and saw that Kenji had a fistful of black hair in his tiny hand and was pulling. Hard. _

_The red-haired baby glared-no word of a lie- at the older ninja with his sharp blue-green eyes, eyes similar to his father's. Itachi smirked slightly. It appeared that Kenji, for all appearance sake, had inherited his father's distinct…temperament. That could come in handy if the boy ended up getting irritated easily. _

_But to wait for Kenji to grow up before he could be used against his parents would be a long wait, a wait that Itachi wasn't willing to suffer._

_His slight smirk slowly twisted it's way into a sinister smile as he thought of what, exactly, he was going to do to this baby. Gently prying his hair out of the baby's grasp, the former leader of the Akatsuki set the infant down on the broad branch, pulled a scroll out of his pack and began to memorize the handseal sequences. Finally ready, he set the scroll down before the child and began performing the rapid handseals, this time applying chakra. As the jutsu took effect, a glow surrounded Kenji and obstructed him from Itachi's sight._

_A thought occurred to the evil ninja-after this the newborns would be under such sharp guard that he would never be able to get his hands on them. He should've waited before taking Kenji…now he'd never be able to touch the other babies._

_But as the glow from the jutsu faded and Itachi saw Kenji again, he couldn't help but think 'Well at least I have this one'._

Mika's quiet sobs still echoed through the house. It had been 3 days since her little son had been taken away from her. Her moods changed so dramatically that it was almost impossible to track them. For the first little while after her son was taken, she had trained-almost 12 straight hours. Anyone who tried to talk to her was delivered a rant about how a certain black haired Shinobi's life belonged to her.

That had ended at around noon the day after Kenji had been taken. Now she was to be found in her room, alternating between sobbing quietly into her pillow and crying loudly on Gaara's shoulder.

She hadn't eaten until Gaara told her to eat or he'd filter it into her with the sand.

She was almost cried out but whenever she thought this, she would simply break down crying again. Kakashi had wanted to take Sienna and Keiko back to Konoha because the sight of children seemed to only upset her more but Mika wouldn't allow it. "I want my daughter with me." She had said weakly.

But as bad as Mika felt, Seyann felt just as bad. Even though Michelle, Gaara, and Kakashi…they had all told her that it wasn't her fault that Kenji had been taken, she still felt responsible. Over and over she would tell herself that if she had just been a little more trusting in Kakashi…if Itachi hadn't spooked her as much and she had been able to detect the Genjutsu…. if she hadn't been so easy to persuade…Mika would've been able to be protecting her son as she should've been instead of being forced to subdue her friend…

And Kenji would still be there and be safe.

Sey sat up in bed and leaned her blonde-brown hair covered head against the wall. Nothing anybody could say was able to persuade her that the kidnapping was anyone's fault but her own. Plus, Mika hadn't said two words to her since that day, three days ago…and Seyann knew her friend was holding the wife of the Hokage accountable for her son's disappearance.

Even though she'd never say it.

A shuffling alerted Seyann to someone approaching and she recognized the footsteps instantly. Quietly lying back down in bed, Seyann rolled to face the wall, showing the door her back and closing her eyes as Mika cracked the door open.

Seyann could hear the slight smile in her friend's voice as she spoke. "Forget it Seyann. Your breathing is all wrong for someone who is supposed to be asleep and not only that, your chakra levels are still on edge. You're awake." Seyann sighed and turned to face her friend.

Mika looked terrible. Her long black hair was messy and unkempt having not been brushed for several days and her hazel eyes were flat and red rimmed. Fresh tear trails were evident on her face and she wore a terry bathrobe with her arms crossed over her chest, tissue clenched in the hand that was visible. Slippers were what made the shuffling sound and they started up again as Mika crossed the threshold of the room and walked over to sit down beside her friend on the bed.

"Sey…" hiccupped the grieving mother "You've gotta stop beating yourself up about this. About Kenji being taken that is…" Seyann's eyes widened, their color showing clear shock. "How did you…" Mika smiled wanly. "You've been sulking in your room for the past three days…I heard you throwing things earlier…" Mika's hazel eyes traveled the room and took in the shattered bud vase, the broken light bulb, various slash marks that had somehow manifested themselves in the wall in patterns that looked like claw marks and other unbreakable items that were strewn about the room haphazardly.

"This actually shows how you and Gaara are releated… You're acting like my husband does when he's ticked off…that's how I lost my best vase last year…Mist country was being difficult." Seyann chuckled before she could catch herself. "See that's the Seyann I know…the Seyann who is in no way at fault for what happened. I do not hold you responsible." Mika held out her arms and Seyann began to cry again and leaned into her friend's grasp. Mika started crying again as well and the two women comforted each other.

Deft fingers pulled a shuriken out of the holster that Itachi-Sama had given him. The same Itachi-Sama had given him an assignment-an assassination assignment. After showing him the house, Itachi had told him to kill the womn who lived inside-the black haired one with hazel eyes…and anyone else who might get in his way.

He didn't know what the girl had done to provoke the wrath of Itachi, however, he would gladly obey his masters instructions. He lived for death-at least that's what Itachi had told him.

On the tip of her consciousness she could detect it…the only reason it didn't send off alarms earlier is because of the familiarity of the chakra pattern. It was similar to Gaara's and yet still, somehow different. Seyann felt it as well and the two women exchanged a glance, remaining in the embrace as not to tip off their observer that they knew he was there. The black haired one tensed as she heard the ninja stars cutting the air and, when the window shattered, she slammed down onto the bed, taking Seyann down with her. The stars thunked into the wall right where their heads had been.

From where she sat downstairs, resting after a training session with her katana, Michelle heard the window shatter and was up like a shot, taking her assassin sword with her.

Upstairs, Mika had taken off her housecoat revealing her pajamas-a tank top and a pair of boxer shorts. Seyann was wearing a similar outfit and while neither of them bore a shuriken holster, each took one out of the wall and preformed a replication technique on it. Michelle had come into the room just as they were doing this, having put the girls in a safe place and was now standing with her friends.

The three women stood there, Seyann and Michelle flanking Mika each tensed to face whatever was coming next.

The dust and glass shards from the broken window were finally settling and, just beyond the ledge, they could see a figure-male with shaggy shoulder length hair-standing on the tree branch just outside Seyann's window.

His slightly almond shaped eyes were blue-green and his shaggy hair was red with black streaks. His complexion was rather pale and in appearance, he was about 17 or 18 and in his hands was another set of shuriken to throw at the girls.

He smirked.

"Hello Ladies." He said coldly. "My name…is Luka."

Mika thought her heart was going to break. She _knew_ who he was. She knew it.

Mothers always _always _know their children.

And he was in no way 17 or 18…she mouthed his name, lowering her shuriken.

"I've come here to kill…you."

He raised a lazy finger and pointed it right at Mika.

A/N-Now how's that for suspense…anyone for guessing as to the identity of the hired assassin? With this a one-shot is going in 'Pieces'.

Read and Review!


	43. Chapter 43

A/N-Yeah...Here's the next chapter! Thanks to Dog of the Dead, Seyann, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Loku and Duckichan87 for reviewing the last chapter! Read and Review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 43

It felt as though someone had stolen the very breath from Mika's lungs. Her lower jaw fell open and as she struggled to form words. Finally, she closed her mouth and attempted to calm down. However, even after regaining her ability to breathe, all she could do was stare at the one who looked so much like her lost son.

"Kenji…." She said, finding her voice at last, but only able to manage a harsh whisper. "What has that bastard done to you?"

His blue green eyes flared with rage. "What did you call Itachi-Sama?" hissed the red haired assassin, making to leap forward. Michelle and Seyann tensed in front of Mika ready to protect her, knowing that she would never fight her own son for fear of hurting him. She however, shoved them out of the way and when the one who called himself Luka sprang forward, towards the stunned woman, Mika merely let her hands hang at her sides and allowed herself to be ploughed into the wall. A wince passed over her face as the fingers at her throat tightened.

"Never…call him that in my presence. Itachi-Sama did so much for me." Mika gasped before saying "What did he do for you?" He smirked. "I see no harm in telling you. I was an orphan in Oto that he took in. He trained me and I am his assassin now. If he hadn't I would've been killed eventually…I owe him my life. He says that I can pay him back by taking the lives of those who have wronged him."

"No Kenji." His fingers tightened even more and Mika gasped for breath. "My name is Luka…" he snarled. "No. It's Kenji. You're my…" Luka/Kenji threw her into the wall. "Don't. Say. It."

When she said the word 'Son' something didn't sit right with him…as if the lies she spoke had some grain of truth to them.

Trying to change the subject, he smirked. "You don't fight back…pity, you're a grade A Kunoichi from what I heard…but Itachi-Sama did say that you wouldn't be fighting back…" Mika took a shaking breath and winced, pressing a hand to her rib cage. "I cannot…" she managed "Fight my own son. And I will not stop calling you that." The assassin walked over to her prone figure and picked her up. "This can be easy or hard. Right now you are making it very hard on yourself." With that being said, he threw her into the dresser. Little objects showered over and around her body having been knocked off of Sey's dresser.

In front of her fell a souvenir that Sey had gotten on one of her trips to Suna and had brought as a tribute to her relations there…

A small vial of Gaara's sand. It was tempting to reach out her hand and break it and save herself…but if she was threatened…

Gaara's policy was kill first and ask questions later especially when it came to her or their children…and she had a hunch that that was Itachi's goal.

She struggled back to her feet and faced her son, bottle lying forgotten on the ground.

"You call me 'Son' and 'Kenji'." He said mockingly. "Can you not see these words mean nothing to me? You're not my mother."

Seyann and Michelle were only just getting up from where Mika had shoved them out of the way. They were stunned that she was allowing him to kick her around as she was doing…they thought she'd at least defend herself.

She wasn't even raising a hand against him.

Seyann scanned the room for some sort of weapon to get them out of this situation. Her eyes fell on the vial of sand that had fallen from her dresser.

Backup.

Her feet responded to her instincts before she could process it in her brain.

Mika landed in a heap by the door. She sat up weakly and began coughing, leaving spots on the carpet.

She was coughing up blood.

Luka/Kenji was at her side in an instant, hand back around her neck. He rose her to her feet by her neck and shoved her back against the door, knob digging into her back.

A glass bottle shattered on the wall by his head, sand falling onto the patch of carpet where Mika's blood had absorbed. Her eyes widened in horror and she looked up at Seyann panicked.

Instantly the sand reacted-and violently. Almost as soon as it sensed the blood it seemed to multiply, forming a branch of sand that slammed into the red-haired boy, tearing him away from Mika and wrapping entirely around his body. Luka/Kenji released Mika almost instantly and she landed on the carpet right next to a patch of sand that was writhing like something was in it…only to have Gaara rise out of it. She screamed some wordless nonsense that Gaara took for a 'he threatened me…kill him…' and turned his furious gaze on the assassin in his grasp.

Instantly Seyann knew why her cousin hadn't been summoned earlier.

Itachi smirked as he watched the combat from the tree branch outside the window. He would've preferred if the son had killed the mother but the father killing the son would work too.

Gaara held out one hand to perform the Desert Funeral…wanting no better than to kill this person who threatened his love. However, before he could do so, his love was on her feet and hugging his arm. "Gaara no!" she said softly. "Don't kill him…" she looked as though she was about to collapse again so Gaara wrapped his other arm around her for support. "Why?" he demanded in a cold murderous voice.

"Gaara look at him." wept Mika. "Look at him…that bastard…Itachi…I don't know what he did to him…that's our…that's…" The Kazekage looked at his wife, startled, before looking at the boy caught in his trap.

It only took him a second longer than his wife to detect the similarity between his captured son and the one in his trap.

Instantly the sand released him.

"My son…Kenji…" Kenji/Luka struggled to his feet and looked at the two people in confusion and disgust. "I just went over this with that woman. I'm not your son. I'm…" he smirked "Well I was going to say I was sorry for whatever happened to him but I guess that would be a lie…but I will say that I'm not your kid."

The words felt clumsy in his mouth, confusing him. He wasn't their child…so why was supporting his claim feeling like a lie?

Itachi had always taught him, that in situations where you are confused, you should leave immediately before you lose your upper hand. As such he leapt out of the broken window before they could get to him to much more than they had.

"Why didn't you kill her Luka?" demanded Itachi. "Forgive me Itachi-Sama." Said Luka/Kenji remorsefully. "She had backup." Itachi merely grunted and turned away with a slight smirk on his face, one that Luka/Kenji couldn't understand…

Like his feelings about those two…

The faces he couldn't erase from his memory…

A voice he couldn't forget…they sounded so familiar.

"_My son"_

A/N-For those of you who didn't pick up on it, Luka and Kenji are the same person...

Just so you know...Review!

Oh...and just so you guys know, I am posting a one-shot at the same time... it is NOT a 'Pieces of an Altered Reality' one-shot, but it's a Cardcaptor Sakura one-shot that I wrote a while ago and am just putting up now...if you like CCS read it, if you don't...don't.

Later!


	44. Chapter 44

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter Yargy the Pirate Queen, Duckichan87, Kyuubi92, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Supershark1, -xoxo LoveMeForMe xoxo-, and Seyann. Anyways, Read and Review...enjoy this chappie!

Disclaimer-Is this really necessary each and every single time I do this? I don't own Naruto

Chapter 44

Mika struggled out of her husband's protective hold and stalked across the room to where Seyann stood, stunned at what had resulted from her actions. She waited until she was standing nose to nose with her friend before losing it.

"Why did you call him?" she hissed angrily. "Didn't you understand that something like that would happen? If I had wanted him here I would've summoned him when I had the chance."

Seyann lay a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave her a light shove to put some distance between them. "Not right away, no. I thought that you hadn't seen it and it wasn't until he got here that I thought about what he would do." Mika sighed and began to say "Ok well…" before Seyann interrupted her. "But I do not regret it. Even knowing that something like that would happen, I would've done it."

"What?" said Mika indignantly. She raised her hands and took hold of her friend's upper arms. "This you must explain to me." As her anger grew, she clenched her hands tighter around her friend's biceps. "You don't regret almost having my husband kill my son? I'm a little confused here Seyann."

The wife of the Hokage studied the floor for a moment before looking back at her friend, hazel eyes clashing with gold eyes (Seyann's-gold for courage and caring). "Because he was going to kill you 'Ka-Chan." She said in a consoling yet firm voice. "And he would've done it without feeling any remorse whatsoever."

Mika's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as the truth finally sank in. She released her friend as though she had been burned and backed up a few steps. Looking down at her cut arms, her bruised body, the blood on the carpet from where she had thrown it up, the ache in her very bones from being thrown into the wall…

"Kenji…did this to me?" she said in a small voice, more to herself that to anyone else. Gaara stepped forward from where he had watched this from the other side of the room. Reaching out his arms he took her into a gentle, comforting embrace-something he had learned how to perfect over the years they had been together. But now, it didn't work and she was completely unresponsive. Gaara glanced over at Sey and 'Chelle. "What did he call himself?" "Luka." Said Michelle, concerned for her friend. Gaara nodded and held his wife close, whispering something that neither of them could hear.

"Mika-koi…" he whispered, his breath caressing her ear and bringing her back down to earth. "That wasn't Kenji…it was but his name is Luka. He can't remember us…" his grasp on her tightened. "I swear…I will get him back for you even if it kills me. But next time promise me you won't let him do this to you." She nodded into his chest as an acknowledgement. Slowly he released her, allowing her time to adjust to the lack of contact. He glanced over to Michelle and Seyann. "I'll leave her to you two…she should be fine now. Where's Keiko?" Michelle gestured randomly. "She's in the next room, locked up for protection."

"Gaara…." Said a voice softly. He turned back to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?" "I want…please. Take Mom and Dad back to Suna with you…I don't want to know what Itachi will try if he knows that they are still in this world." "Take my Mom back too…" said Seyann.

Gaara dipped his head in a nod and lifted two fingers in front of his face. As he melted into the sand, Mika gave him a peck on the mouth, a silent 'thank you' in return for him coming. However, when he left a small pile of sand on the floor, she went from shell-shocked to ticked off.

Placing a hand firmly on the pile, she confused her friends…and began to yell to no one. When they heard her yell, however, "CLEAN THIS UP GAARA! I'M NOT!" they immediately comprehended that she was lecturing her husband. Conversely, they were surprised when the sand suddenly moved of it's on vocation and spiraled up her arm.

Where it settled onto and slowly eased into her very skin. Her hazel eyes narrowed in comprehension as she attempted to brush the sand off and failed to do so.

This was his idea of keeping an eye on her. "Baka." She growled to no one in particular yet knowing that her husband heard her…thanks to this particular jutsu.

Seyann and Michelle exchanged a Look. "Mika's back." They muttered to each other in unison.

Later, while the three were cleaning up the room, trying to restore it to the way it was before the attack, a thought occurred to Mika. "Michelle…how much time, exactly, have you spent with your husband since your wedding?"

Michelle stiffened over the vacuum and turned it off, looking out the window away from her friends. "It's…" she sighed. "Almost none…we left almost right after the wedding and I haven't seen him since." "'Chelle!" exclaimed Seyann. "How can you be so blasé about it? That was almost three weeks ago!"

Michelle waved her friend's concern off. "That's okay…we both understand. We have to put off having our life together until…until…"

Michelle's shoulders started to shake and, not wanting her friends to see her cry, ran from the room.

Neji sat all alone at a table made for two in the house that, in which, he should've been living with his wife. He had just gotten of guard duty but hadn't been able to sleep which often resulted in him just sitting there.

He hadn't seen her since their wedding day.

He understood that she…that they had to keep the baby safe…

And because Hokage-Sama had given him so many missions, he hadn't had time to go see her. Whenever he tried, she'd be asleep and whenever she came to see him, he'd either be away or at home, sleeping himself.

Like two ships.

Michelle raced out of the house and collapsed onto the stoop, laying a hand on her flat stomach. He hadn't come to see her…at least that anyone had told her. She couldn't go further than the mirror in the basement to try and see him; she was under orders from Kakashi to stay in this realm.

She really wanted to disobey. But she was the only one of the three who was subject to do what the Hokage told her too…and it sucked. She leaned back against the brick wall of the house and began to cry softly.

The black-haired Kunoichi looked over to her friend and arched her eyebrows. "Should we…" Her friend exhaled. "Yes. We should. This has 'friend intervention' written all over it."

The bushes rustling caught her off guard. She roughly pushed the tears off of her face and yanked her katana out of the sheath, pointing it at the dogwood bush. "Get out here Itachi…. you've got a similar chakra pattern to me…I know who you are." The black-haired missing ninja stepped out of the jungle like garden and took a step towards his cousin. "What do you want Itachi?"

A knock sounded at the door. He stood raggedly and walked through the house, opening the door to an ANBU from the Hokage Tower. "Yes, what is it?" "Hyuuga-San, Lady Mika is requesting your presence at the house, could you please come with me?" Confused but game nonetheless, the Hyuuga grabbed his coat and followed the ANBU to the tower. "Do you know what this is about?" he asked, on the off chance. "Apparently your wife misses you."

"Now now is that any way to greet a family member? Especially one who is higher in the clan than you?" "My only families are Sasuke, my cousin in law Sakura, their son Itachi…Jr…and my husband, Neji. As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but the latest in a string of classic bad guys." Itachi's lazy gaze turned sour.

He tentatively stepped through the mirror and felt the liquid flow over his body. Once he made it to the other side, he saw Mika standing there, lighting a candle at a table set for two. "You…" she said jabbing her forefinger at the Hyuuga and said "need to spend time with your wife. She's on the porch. Why don't you go get her…"

It was, in no way, a suggestion.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Michelle. I, however, still have a preposition for you. Mika wants Kenji back, correct?" Michelle nodded warily and the black-haired missing ninja continued. "I want a good fighter as my right hand person"

He wandered up the stairs that he had been on once before-the ones he had charged up in his pursuit to get Sienna back the year previous. Rounding the corner, he walked towards the slightly ajar front door from where he heard voices…Michelle and…

Rage coiled in his stomach. "Itachi…" he breathed.

He heard every word spoken to his wife.

"If you agree to come and fight with me, Kenji will go back." Michelle's eyes widened. "I want someone I trust as my right hand person…family, you know?"

It was clear that 'Chelle was wavering in this decision…she wanted to help her friend…but what price would she pay? "For better or for worse…" he whispered, toying with his wedding bad. "I'll love you regardless."

"I…" she lowered her gaze, focusing on the cement of the porch, slipping a hand into her pocket. "If you want family…" She looked up at him, Sharingan blazing as she whipped out 4 shuriken and threw them at Itachi's body. "GET MARRIED!" she shrieked, just before her shuriken destroyed her clone.

Neji was there to catch her as she fell to the porch. She wasn't aware of the strong arms holding her until she looked into his face. "Neji…" she breathed. Before she could say any more, he shushed her and merely held her tight.

The implications of what she had just turned down cowed her.

"Forgive me Mika." She whispered.

A/N-There you go for a bit of drama…enjoy! Read and review!


	45. Chapter 45

A/N-Hey! Gomen Nasai…I didn't update yesterday cuz I spent the night at a friends and I was too lazy to type out the chapter before I left…thanks to ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Seyann, Dog of the Dead, duckichan87 and Yargy the Pirate Queen for reviewing the last chapter…please read the bottom A/N. Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha which is mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter 45

It was a couple days after the person who called himself Kenji had attacked the three girls. Said three girls were currently in the backyard of the house basking in the warm sun-Seyann and Michelle stretched out on lounge chairs taking in the sun and Mika dutifully tending the garden-not that she minded, gardening was a kind of passion for her.

Her nimble fingers were pressing the soil of a freshly potted plant when Michelle spoke up. "Mika…there's something that happened that I think you should know about." Mika looked up and brushed her black hair out of her face, leaving some traces of dirt on her face. "What is it 'Chelle?" She asked. Seyann lazily sat up and peered at her friend from under her raised sunglasses.

Their friend took a deep breath. "The dinner…guys, the dinner was amazing and I loved that I got to see my husband…" she looked down. "But…before that happened…Itachi…" Mika quickly cut her friend off. "Wait, 'Chelle. Before you say another word…"

She began forming rapid handseals. Michelle furrowed her brows as Seyann went "Oh is _that_ what he was doing with the sand yesterday? He hasn't used that jutsu in…how long?"

"Sey what's going on?" Asked Michelle, confused as Mika's body began to glow with released chakra. "It was about 4 years ago." Replied Seyann. "This ANBU from the Sand village decided that he was in love with Mika and that the two of them were soulmates." "You mean like Kouga from Inuyasha?" said Michelle in a curious voice. "Yeah, something like that. Anyways Gaara found out and he was _furious_. This was just after they had gotten in to and over the whole 'we're too different' breakup that Mika had initiated because of Gaara's jealousy. Because of that, Gaara could be jealous but he couldn't do anything."

Seyann took a deep breath before continuing. "Until the ANBU got more persistent…he wouldn't take 'No thanks, I'm Sabaku no Gaara's girl' for an answer. Gaara walked in on the ANBU attempting to force himself on Mika. My cousin lost it and killed the ANBU and then invented this particular jutsu to keep an eye on Mika so nothing like that would ever happen again."

"The only problem." Said Mika dryly as the glow faded. "Was that it allowed him to keep too close of an eye on me. The basic concept of the jutsu is that the sand engrains itself into my very skin and act as sort of…sensors. At any given time he can check on what I'm saying, what I'm doing. It took me all of two days to invent a counter jutsu, one that inhibits the sand. I just couldn't deal with that invasion of my privacy." The wife of the Kazekage laughed. "Remember how he reacted when I said to you…when he wasn't around mind you…that 'Tory is hot'…and I was talking about someone from a television show from this world?"

Seyann laughed. "Yeah…'Chelle, we had to explain the concept of television to him."

"But when I invented the counter jutsu, he gradually stopped using it." Mika scowled. "Until now. But I digress…go ahead Michelle."

Michelle suddenly remembered what exactly she was going to tell her friends. She looked back down at the floor before continuing. "Before Neji came…Itachi…. he approached me." She heard her friend's gasps. "He said that if I conceded to help him…to be his right hand assassin…" she lowered her voice to a whisper. "He said he'd give Kenji back…as a baby. You'd get your child back…but you'd have to fight me…"

"Mika I'm sorry, but I turned him down."

Mika was frozen. She didn't know what to feel-anger at her friend for not doing all she could or relief that she wouldn't have to fight someone who remembered her. Finally she found her voice. "You had a chance to get my son back…at the expense of your own life however…and you didn't?" Michelle flinched at the choking sound in Mika's voice and nodded. "Good." Breathed Mika. "It's hard to fight against my son but…he doesn't remember me." Mika went over to the lounge and sat down beside her friend. "He fights because right now, he doesn't know better. I'd rather fight that than a friend who remembers me and fights me nonetheless."

"So you're not mad?" Mika burst out laughing. "'Chelle how could I be mad at you for making a decision like that?" Michelle sighed with relief and smiled. "I'm glad."

"How sentimental." Drawled a now familiar voice. Mika looked up, startled at first and then tensed. Her son who called himself Luka stood there, shoulder length shaggy still moving, indicating he had just gotten there. This time, however, he didn't waste time with small talk he merely pulled out a kunai and lunged towards the girls.

This time, however Mika didn't hesitate. Michelle and Seyann leapt to either side to avoid the weapon, while Mika leapt straight up. Quickly, she landed behind her son and kicked him in the back, sending him flying into the lounge chair. "I thought…" he said, standing up and wincing, holding his side all the while, "That you wouldn't be able to fight me." Mika sighed. "Kenji…" "LUKA!" "You are still my son, but I will not lie down and let you kill me, nice as can be. You and your sister, Keiko need me."

He glared at her. "I. Don't. Have. A. Sister!" he threw a relentless hail of shuriken and kunai at her. She dodged most of them, which resulted in the kunai and shuriken landing in her beloved garden. She couldn't, however, dodge all of them and wound up with a kunai in her shoulder.

She fell to the paved patio-hard. Kenji/Luka landed a kick in her ribs so hard that it sent her flying over the bushes and onto the grass. Here, the assassin pinned her with four kunai and himself-he sat on her stomach. She winced as she attempted to twist the kunai out of her shoulder but the shinobi pinning her stopped her. "No no no, I want to see you in pain."

She had no choice left…she had to reverse the counter-jutsu. She started the seals with one hand, in a place so that he wouldn't notice-behind his back.

Luka smirked at the woman beneath him, fear written in her eyes. He twisted one of the kunai out of her shoulders, causing her to yell in pain. "I'd rather not waste an extra kunai on you." Blood was coming out of her shoulder but not at such a great rate that it would cause concern. He raised the hand clenching the holster of the kunai high…ready to plunge down and end the life of the Kunoichi beneath him.

'At the hands of my own son…how ironic.' Thought Mika as she squeezed her hazel eyes shut and prepared for the killing blow. She finished the reversal, feeling chakra slowly cover her arm and spread, uninhibiting the sand-but it would take about a minute to be completely effective.

She waited for the blow…her friends were screaming…

But it never came.

She cautiously opened one eye and then the other and looked at Kenji/Luka. He appeared to almost be frozen; he was clearly trying to bring the kunai down but some invisible force was preventing it from happening. Anger was visible in his eyes.

"What the hell did you do to me?" he got out through his struggling. "I can't…kill you…" He tried for another thirty seconds or so before finally deciding that it wasn't worth the effort and leapt off her, gone in a flash of red hair.

A second later, Mika yelped in pain as the reversal competed itself which was only compounded by the pain in her shoulders.

The sand that had been embedded in her skin seeped out-there was enough there for form a clone of her husband. The sand fell away to reveal the man himself. More sand came and wrapped around Mika angrily.

The other two looked on in amazement. They never thought they'd see the day when protective Gaara would use the sand on his beloved wife.

That could only mean one thing.

Gaara was _furious_. To say the least.

A/N-Well. Tell me what you think, Read and Review.

The reason that I wanted people to read the Author's Note at the bottom is because this story is drawing to a close…only about 5 more chapters…and I'm starting to look ahead at my next story. This time I am going to do two at the same time. I know that one is going to be a plot that MyNameIsKelsie13 gave to me (glomps for giving me the idea) but on to top of that I've got 3 more plots that I could write…one is a Naruto fanfiction, one is a Howl's Moving Castle fanfiction and one is a Cardcaptor Sakura fanfiction.

You, my readers get to vote.

The Naruto Fanfiction

_To Save A Life_

Summary- Haruno Sakura is a quiet 18-year-old girl who knows everything there is to know about the Titanic, the crew of the Titanic, and the night the Titanic sank. She lives in our time. One night, in a dream, she is visited by Destiny and she learns that her soulmate lived almost 100 years ago…and died that fateful night, on the Titanic. Now, if she wants to ever find true love she has to abandon everything she's ever known and step into the past, onto a ship that only she knows is going to sink. (I'm going to have to shorten this summary)

Paring (vote on this too) – either Gaara/Sakura or Sakura/Sasuke.

The Howl's Moving Castle Fanfiction

_Dreaming_

Summary- I'm standing in a field of flowers, someone is holding my hand and calling me beautiful…but before I see his face, I wake up. My name is Sophie Hatter and I've had that dream every day for as long as I can remember.

Paring- Sophie/Howl

The Cardcaptor Sakura Fanfiction

_The Assassin and the Politician's Daughter. _(title is subject to change when I think of something better)

Summary- Kinomoto Sakura is the daughter of a well-respected politician- as such she is often the target of kidnapping and assassinations attempts. When her father attempts to pass a new piece of legislation, this is no different…but what happens when you fall in love with the one who is supposed…to kill you?

Paring- Sakura/Syaoran, Tomoyo/Eriol.

So, my lovely readers who are in the springtime of youth…(I cannot believe I just said that) VOTE!

lATER


	46. Chapter 46

A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter- ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Kyiri Makrono, MyNameIsKelsie13, duckichan87, supershark1, Loki Zentra, Seyann, Loku, and Kyuubi92. Voting is still open for what story is going to be next, to see the summaries check out chapter 45…read and review!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 46

Gaara strode the length of the patio to where his wife was captive in his sand. "What the hell were you thinking using the counter jutsu?" he snarled, sticking his face right up in hers, his anger clear and evident. Seyann and Michelle were both surprised-they had never seen Gaara and Mika truly fight before. "This." Said Seyann to Michelle under her breath. "Must be what goes on when Keiko is sent to Konoha to stay with Kakashi and myself."

Gaara took in a deep breath to try and calm himself down. "Mika by the time I sensed anything…the blood wasn't fresh anymore. Blood…. On that note, what caused you to bleed?"

The sand that was holding Mika created a branch and scooped up the kunai that had been first imbedded in Mika's shoulders, then abandoned by Kenji/Luka and carried them to Gaara. At the sight of this weapon (which had the name Luka written on it no less...) his blue-green eyes narrowed extremely dangerously.

"He was here." He breathed. Seyann and Michelle saw Mika flinch and seemingly prepare for the worst. "**_HE WAS HERE AND THE SAND WAS INHIBITED?" _**he roared at the top of his lungs. His eyes were flickering gold…Seyann and Michelle had never seen him this infuriated. As Gaara fought for control over Shukaku, Mika started to struggle, attempting to bring her hands together through the constricting sand.

"Mika." Said her husband, still angry, but not enough to release the raccoon. "He could've killed you and I'm inclined to think that that was your exact intent…are you that eager to die…if you had what…what would Keiko and I have done? Because I can't live without you, I know she can't and I know Shukaku would go insane." his anger had almost completely faded, however, he still held her within the sand.

"But…" Mika shook her head violently. "You're wrong Gaara… you're wrong!" Tears began to come out of her eyes and fell into the sand. "He couldn't…Gaara, he couldn't."

Gaara felt his anger rise once again at his wife's refusal to accept that their son wanted to kill her, at her seemingly denying at the truth. The sand squeezed her gently to try and make her understand, to remind her the pain that Kenji/Luka had put her through.

Mika continued her struggle to bring her hands together and perform the required hand seals, ignoring the pain from the sand, all the while continuing her protests to her husband. "He wouldn't, Gaara he couldn't…. and I inhibited the sand because it was a horrible invasion of privacy."

Michelle leaned over to Sey and said; "Only she would mention something like that at a time like this."

Gaara could feel his wife struggling beneath the sand and knew that her anger was building at being trapped within his sand-he knew his wife all to well.

Finally she managed to bring her hands together and form the seal. This wasn't any ordinary hand seal, rather it was a seal that she had seen in a book she read about the history of the Yourusashi clan- a part of her Kekki Genkai.

She only used this particular move when Gaara held her in his sand, to try and get him to let go. It was the move Kakashi had told her about when he had first informed her of her abilities as a Kunoichi-the one where she could move her chakra thorough the air itself…and she used the sand as a transmitter.

Forcing her chakra outwards, she dispelled the sand in a quick, swift blow. "Get this OFF OF ME!" she yelled, pushing her arms outwards as hard as she could.

She had used the sand itself as a weapon, her power leaping from sand grain to sand grain, doing a dual job-pushing the sand off of her and creating a diversion so that her husband's attention would be taken off of her and the fact that she had applied the counter jutsu.

After the sand, which had billowed up when Mika stirred it around, finally settled to reveal the black haired girl on the ground, on her hands and knees sobbing. Blood ran down her arms from scratches the sand had created on top of the partially congealed blood from her shoulder wounds. "I'm sorry to use that jutsu on you Gaara…but I had to get your attention and I can't talk to you when you're angry like that…But Gaara." Mika looked up at her husband with tears in her hazel eyes.

"He. Couldn't. Kill. Me. Something stopped him. He had the kunai held up, he had me pinned beneath him, right where he wanted me…but something held him back. He _wanted_ to kill me, I will not deny that…but I have hope…because he couldn't." Tears fell down her already stained face. "Gaa-Kun our baby couldn't kill me."

Immediately, he regretted hurting her, as he did whenever they got into a similar fight. Kneeling on the hard concrete, he gathered his wife into his arms and began to tenderly wipe the blood away. "Is this true?" he asked quietly of Sey and Michelle. They both nodded and Seyann put forward a suggestion.

"It's almost as if…his mind cannot remember who you are but his heart and soul cannot forget…"

Immediately the Kazekage's eyes widened. He had heard of this jutsu.

"I know…what jutsu it is." He sighed and tried to help Mika to her feet but she waved him off and stood up by herself. "It's a forbidden technique…the scroll was stolen from Hokage tower last week. The particular jutsu he stole is used to age children…I don't know why it was even created but it was…However there's a catch…"

Gaara let out a dry chuckle. "That idiot Itachi forgot to take the scroll of warnings and the counter jutsu scroll…the jutsu cannot be used to pit a parent against a child…the bond is just too strong. If the child would try to kill his parent-mother in particular- he would be unable too…"

"Something would hold him back…" he finished. "Mika, if you're okay, I'll go to Hokage tower and get the counter jutsu from Kakashi." "Wait Gaara."

As Gaara helped his wife sit in a chair, he glanced over to his cousin, red bangs falling in his eyes. "What is it Sey?" "Why didn't my husband tell me of this?" Gaara stood up straight and said "You'll have to take that up with him."

He was gone in a swirl of sand.

As soon as he was gone, Mika grimaced in pain. "Mika why do you have to be so stubborn girl?" question Michelle as Seyann ran inside for the first aid kit. "I have no idea what you're talking about 'Chelle." Said Mika in a dry voice.

"Even now, six years after you married him, you still won't show any weakness in front of him. What's with that?" Seyann was back and she started to tend to Mika's various cuts and scrapes. "Because…" Mika hissed as the alcohol hit her cuts. "I'm just like that…I don't like him seeing me weak." As Seyann continued to tend her cuts and scrapes, Michelle healed her shoulders.

"Umm…Mika, I've never seen him that angry?" Mika's eyes were closed and she seemed oblivious to the world around her, caught in a trap of pain. "Oh that? We fight like that, at the very least…once every couple months…when I know it's going to happen…I send Keiko to Konoha so she doesn't have to see us fight."

As Seyann finished bandaging up her friend Mika slowly sat up. "'Chelle why don't you go get some food…I think Mika's lost a bit of blood."

As the girls sat out back and relaxed after that whole mess, they got back to talking about fighting and making up. Seyann's story was that, whenever Kakashi and herself got into a fight, Kakashi would do some chores around the house to make up for it.

Her favorite, she said, was when he would dress in an apron and cook for her.

After the fits of laughter at the image of Kakashi in an apron had subsided, Michelle had said in a dreamy voice "Neji and I haven't fought yet…well except for that blip in the beginning… but I don't think we're ever going to fight…we get along so well."

Mika and Seyann exchanged a look. "Newlyweds." They chorused.

"Listen 'Chelle." Said Mika in a serious voice. "Sometimes fights happen. And that's all well and good."

"That's all well and really good…" said Seyann with a smirk on her face. "Sey let me finish."

"Let me put it this way about why, exactly, we send Keiko to Konoha whenever we get into a fight. The only way we can decently make up, if you know what I mean, is when the house is empty…"

Mika was abruptly cut off when a hand slid over her mouth. In his silky, sexy voice, Gaara said "And that's enough of that Mika-Koi…I don't think they need to hear about that…" Noone had seen him appear with the massive scroll strapped on his back.

The other two burst out laughing as Mika turned beet red.

A/N-There you go. Tomorrow I'll write a one-shot that goes more in depth about the true powers of the Yourusashi clan…but right now I'm hungry…read and review!


	47. Chapter 47

A/N-Thanks to Duckichan87, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Loku (of the long reviews), Supershark1, Kyuubi92, Seyann, Loki Zentra and Michelle (YES that Michelle) for reviewing chapter 46...Read and Review people!

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 47

The long scroll lay before him as he attempted to rehearse the complicated hand seal sequences that the jutsu required. He was the only one who could do it- Kakashi was on a trip to Grass village for political reasons and had left orders that under no circumstances was his wife to use any amounts of Chakra unnecessarily. Neji had left similar instructions for Michelle.

Mika couldn't perform the jutsu on herself…therefore her husband would do it.

Said woman stood in front of her husband, shifting her weight from one foot to the next. Gaara had already sketched out the required runes with his blood and she was standing in the middle while he rehearsed and rehearsed the proper seals. "Remind me again, why exactly the jutsu is supposed to be preformed on me?" she asked, brushing a wisp of hair up, tucking it into the ponytail so it wouldn't smear the blood runes. Gaara faltered in his seals and sent his wife a softened version of his glare.

"Because…" he said in a mildly patient voice. "You have the closer bond with Kenji…and that's what the scroll says to do… it has to be the mother. When he sees you, the counter jutsu will kick in and we will have our son back." Mika nodded again, uncertainly. "Ok."

"Now…can you please stop ruining my concentration?" Mika giggled before saying "Yes Kazekage-Sama. But please, permit me one more interruption…"

She leaned in and planted a kiss on his mouth. "Thanks Gaara…for doing this jutsu…even if it doesn't work, at least we're doing all we can to try and get him back." Gaara smiled (something he only ever did around her) and said "Mika-Koi…forgive me for being so angry earlier…I was just worried about you, you know how I get when I think you're hurt…" Mika interrupted him by pecking him on the nose. "How many times do I have to tell you after we've fought that you don't need to apologize to me?" He chuckled dryly. "Probably at least once more."

"Now hush…I'm going to do it for real now." Mika nodded watched in amazement as her husband began to form hand seals at a fantastic rate. At the beginning she could keep track of what seals he was doing –Boar, Monkey, Snake, Boar, Horse, Dragon- after that she lost track. So, she looked down at the scroll to try and follow along…

She noticed, in the middle of the hand seals that her husband had inserted a couple of his own hand seals. She frowned because she knew the dangers of making adjustments to jutsus, however, for the sake if his concentration kept her silence.

With the last hand seal was finished her body began to glow in an unearthly manner. There was a slight tingling in her right hand but as the glow dissipated, the tingling went away as well. When she looked down her body, nothing was really different…

Except for the small kanji that had appeared on her right hand- the Japanese Kanji for 'Mother'.

"Just wondering Gaara but what hand seals did you insert into the jutsu and why?" A slightly mischievous glint appeared in her husband's eye. "An addition of my own invention…when the counter jutsu comes into effect it will put the caster of the original jutsu through an incredible amount of pain-something that Itachi won't be expecting, something that will weaken him to a point where we can kill him. I think, however, that we should get everyone who has a grudge against Itachi in our group should come here…we will only be able to leave him incapacitated for a few hours."

Mika nodded and immediately set about to planning a barbeque.

It took about half a day but they managed to get everyone-even Kakashi, all the way from Mist- Across the portal and into Michelle's backyard for the barbeque. It was partially celebration at the fact that someone who had caused them so much grief was about to be vanquished and partially in celebration at the fact that one of their own lost was going to be brought back. Either way…it was time to celebrate.

The children had, however, been locked up (for their own safety) in a safe room inside so that if Itachi and Luka/Kenji did wind up attacking, they wouldn't have something distracting to worry about.

Neji and Kakashi had wanted to make Seyann and Michelle stay with the children in order to protect the babies but the two girls would have nothing to do with that idea-they were, in fact, ticked off at being treated as delicately as they were.

The group sat, chatting and laughing about the twin bumps that Neji and Kakashi now sported, about how Gaara was very possessive of the barbeque fork and the barbeque itself, about how Mika was standing behind him to make sure no sand went in the food…about life

The way the picnic table was positioned was with Kakashi, Neji, Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara on one side and their respective wives sitting on the opposite side. With the food ready (after much debate between Mika and Gaara about who was the master/mistress of the grill) the group dug in.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

The wind blew his hair across his face as he pulled out a shuriken and said, "Today…is the day. I swear. Today is the day I fulfill Itachi-Sama's request…and kill that woman!" the wind caused his hair to drift again, this time revealing a part of his neck…

Exposing a kanji that faintly glowed…

A kanji whose existence, he didn't even know about.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

All of the people at the table were ninja, all had heard the sound of shuriken cutting the air before…and they heard it now. Gaara immediately raised a sand barrier around the table to protect all sitting there and the ninja stars pierced the sand.

Once he was sure that nothing else was coming, he lowered the barrier and prodded his wife forward.

From where he was sitting on a tree branch, observing, his red eyes could clearly see the action that Gaara was pulling. "He's _encouraging_ her to fight?"

Mika took a shaky breath and stepped forward, looking her son right in his jade eyes-eyes like his father's. She raised her right hand so that the kanji was showing and began to focus her chakra into the mark on the back of her hand.

Itachi's eyes widened as he realized what was going on. "They found the counter jutsu…" he hissed.

"What. The hell are you doing?" Said her son in a lazy drawl. "Watch your mouth son." Said Mika wearily. "I don't want to hear you say words like that again." The assassin narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to begin to say 'I'm not your son.' However stopped when the kanji he didn't even know he had began to tingle and warmth was spread through his body. His body seemed to pulse as he looked up and his breathing became harsh and ragged. A shaking hand reached up to clamp over his neck. He looked at Mika intensely.

Until the hard eyes of the assassin vanished and he looked at her through eyes that appeared to be those of a child. His voice was no longer hardened and cold but rather timid and scared, as if Itachi had aged him to 3 or 4 instead of 18 or 19. "…Mama?" he said quietly.

His body began to pulse, visibly. As it pulsed, the kanji on Mika's hand pulsed as well. Both of their bodies took on a bluish glow.

As he watched the jutsu reverse itself, it suddenly felt as though his entire body had been lit on fire-it was so sudden that, unable to take it…he screamed in pain. Before he could react…the sand had him trapped.

As the glow faded, the clothes that Kenji had been wearing stood in his older form for about a moment before slumping to the ground…in that pile of clothes…

Was an infant no more than a month old with red hair and blue-green eyes. Kenji…

But a Kenji that willingly held his hands out to be held by his mama…a Kenji that knew her. Mika leaned down and gently scooped up her son, rocking him slowly.

A scream of pain echoed in the backyard. Mika saw Gaara and his sand react instantly and knew who that was who had screamed. Before she could blink…Itachi was in front of them…

Encased from head to toe in sand.

The missing ninja stared at the group of first shocked, then infuriated ninja with only two thoughts on his mind. One was his pain…and the other he murmured out loud.

"Oh crap…"

A/N-YESH! HE HAS BEEN CAUGHT! NOW ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE PUNISHMENT (Paprika cackles sinisterly.) with this there is a short one-shot in 'Pieces'

REVIEW!


	48. Chapter 48

A/N-So yeah…thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter…Kyiri Makrono, Seyann, Supershark1, Loki Zentra, and ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia. Ok people…this story only has two chapters plus epilogue left…and I'd like to have 300 reviews by the end…so…please review?

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 48

It took the entire gang- all 10 parents- about 5 minutes to get completely organized and in order. They had decided that they would go in the order of people who had been hurt least by Itachi to people who had been hurt most by Itachi.

As such, Naruto went first. Partially releasing the nine-tailed chakra, he started off the parental attack by bombarding Itachi with Kyuubi's claws and the chakra itself. Gaara had taken the desert coffin off of Itachi and now, the Uchiha was pinned down by the sand tendrils wrapped around his legs and arms…

Leaving plenty of body for the parents to vengefully maul.

Hinata went next. The normally calm, passive girl was once again the cold vengeful clan leader and as such punished Itachi appropriately. Using a trick that Sakura had taught her upon becoming clan leader, she put some chakra into her fists and mauled Itachi's face until he was black and blue and asking for mercy.

It was Seyann who put it so bluntly. "Yeah right." Was what she said to the black and blue missing nin.

When Sakura's turn came up it was over before it started.

A single chakra powered punch to his…area.

Neji went after her. With his violet eyes narroed, it was obvious that he was furious at the fact that not only had his cousin's son been threatened...which was technically him just sticking up for the Hyuuga Heir (as was his duty as the Branch Clan) but his wife and his unborn child had been threatened and almost taken away from him-he was righteously pissed. Raising his right hand out in front of himself he powered up his hand…

And sealed off all of Itachi's chakra outlets except two. Itachi tried to struggle but found that now, with the chakra outlets sealed off, he could barely move.

Next to go were Seyann and Kakashi- simultaneously. While Seyann did what Naruto had done except with Celina's claws, teeth and chakra, Kakashi attacked with a lightened form of his lightning blade-not enough to kill him but enough to cause him severe pain.

By now he was screaming for mercy, for death, for anything that would take him out of the world of pain he was in right now…

But they weren't even half finished with what they wanted to do to him and therefore ignored the black haired man's cries.

Gaara went after Seyann and Kakashi. Since he had already partially done his attack when he had inserted the hand seals into the jutsu, he merely formed two spikes of sand and forced them through Itachi's legs, effectively breaking them. "Who's next?" he asked stoically, ignoring the curses from the former Akatsuki leader.

"Before we decide that, we have to decide who has the claim- the biggest claim- to take his life. Because really, that's something we all could stake a claim for."

"Well" said Michelle slowly. "Really it's between Sasuke and Mika. I don't pretend to have a claim on his life…he didn't kill my parents, they died in a car crash. Just as long as I can get a crack at him, I'll be fine….but I've heard Mika say before that she wanted his life…"

This caused Sasuke to glance sideways at his friend. He had waited for so long for an opportunity to kill his brother. He clenched his fist unconsciously. He would not let her take it away from him.

Mika was cradling her son while all this was happening. Startled by the turn of events, she looked up and saw all the eyes on her. Her hazel eyes widened. "But…I… other than what he did to Kenji…and taking Keiko I have absolutely no claim on his life. Sometimes… I have a tenancy to say things in the heat of the moment, but I don't really mean it… Sasuke deserves to kill Itachi." Mika turned to him. "He killed you're entire clan. Just let me give him a going away present…I'm no killer, even if you guys had given me his life I wouldn't have been able to follow through."

Having said this she handed Kenji over to his father and held her hands stretched out in front of herself. Closing her eyes and focusing her chakra, she breathed in, concentrating.. Gaara inhaled sharply. "You're not using…that jutsu…are you?" Without opening her eyes she answered him. "He deserves it."

Opening her hazel eyes so that she could see what she was doing she began to form the handseals that had been specified in the book about the Yourusashi jutsu's. Ox, dog, pig, bird, horse, dragon. After finishing the last traditional hand seal, she put her hands together in the seal that was specific to Yourusashi. She took her hands, which now glowed with chakra and placed her fingertips together, feeling the spark as her fingertips touched.

As soon as she felt this spark, she reached out and touched Itachi's hand, only for a millisecond. There was a brilliant flash…

And when it faded, Itachi's arm was gone.

The true power of the Yourusashi was fearsome indeed. Itachi was barely conscious now, barely aware from blood loss and his extreme pain. Now, he lolled his limp head over and stared at his stump of an arm. The only good thing was Mika's power had cauterized the wound right away and it wasn't bleeding.

Mika stepped away from Itachi's body and took Kenji back from Gaara. The kanji on the back of her hand hadn't quite faded-similarly, the kanji on Kenji was still very prominent.

She really hoped these weren't permanent. But it was a small price to pay after getting her child back.

She was brought down to earth when she heard Itachi scream…again. Michelle had taken a kunai and had cut his other arm up. "You'd think by this point, pain like that would be nothing." Michelle said to everyone, almost bored. By this point, Mika had faced Kenji into herself so that the young, impressionable child wouldn't see the violent images.

"Sasuke. As Hokage of Konoha, I must now tell you that the task of killing missing ninja, Uchiha Itachi is in your hands. Carry it out as you will." Said Kakashi, just to keep it formal.

Sasuke pulled out a kunai from his holster. He stared at it for a few minitues, at the intricately carved handle bearing the letters U and I. It was one of a set of four that his father had given Itachi after Itachi had been inducted into ANBU. "Do you know what this is Onii-san?" asked Sasuke quietly. "It…" gasped out Itachi. "Looks like a kunai."

"I've carried this kunai around ever since that day… the day you killed our family. This." He gestured to the kunai. "Is the kunai that you used to kill our parents with. If I recall correctly…you had infused it with a poison…a poison that makes a person suffer but stops just short of killing them." Sasuke pricked Itachi's cheek with the kunai. "And you made father suffer for hours…in front of me."

Immediately the older brother flinched in pain. "You…kept it?" he managed. "Yes…because I swore I'd kill you with this kunai… the one you used to kill them. Good bye Onii-San."

A swing of the hand and it was done…

Itachi was dead.

There was a moment of melancholy. That all they had fought for, for the past few months…was done. There was no threat.

It was Seyann who started it. "Ding dong…" she sang quietly. "The witch is dead…the wicked witch, the wicked witch…" immediately Mika picked it up along with Michelle and soon the three were completely belting out The Wizard of Oz at the top of their lungs.

Hinata went inside and brought the children back out as Gaara made his absorb the blood and remove the body back to Hokage tower. The rest of the adults were celebrating Itachi's demise by laughing and joking, trying to relieve the tension that the attack s had brought.

Sienna broke away from the group of children and went over to her mother and father, a book clutched tightly in her hand. Kakashi sort of went white when he saw the book but in case Seyann hadn't seen anything, decided not to say anything. However when his daughter came right up to Sey and held out the book, he knew he was in deep, deep trouble.

"Mommy…there's a weird picture book in the toy bag…" she opened the orange book and turned to a specific page. "What are they doing here?"

Seyann's face tinged. Her eyebrow twitched…a bird flew by…and an explosion occurred.

"HATAKE KAKASHI I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Everything's back to normal, eh Mika?" said Michelle, laughing. Mika gave her friend an odd look. "Chelle we've never been normal."

"Ok, that's true."

A/N-Anyways…yeah…was he tortured enough? He was beaten black and blue, clawed and bit, Jyuken'ed, Lightning bladed, stabbed, he got his arm taken off…and stabbed. Is that enough?

Review!


	49. Chapter 49

A/N-Thanks to Kyuubi92, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Bijou-maru, Kyiri Makrono, Supershark1 Loki Zentra and Duckichan87 for reviewing chapter 48…Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Chapter 49

Seven months had passed since, what had become referred to as 'The Itachi Incident' had occurred. When the three Kunoichi left Michelle's old house it was an odd feeling. Different from when they had left for the first time. The first time they were leaving a world in which everything was certain, heading into the unknown. Now it was…like coming home from a vacation. They had had fun…

But they couldn't wait to get home.

The kanji that had been placed on Mika and Kenji to reverse the aging jutsu had faded but the lingering connection was still strong. It had taken at least two months before Kenji could be away form Mika without sobbing for hours on end, or until his mother came back to him. After that, the connection was shown in that, whenever Mika was away from Kenji, she knew exactly where he was.

Of which Mika was grateful for. Also, Keiko was thrilled to have her Gramma and Grandpa living in her village and Mika was relieved that her parents were treated with all respect due to the parents of the highest woman in Suna. Her parents had adjusted well to living in the desert and were grateful that they could live out the rest of their days with their daughter.

Michelle and Neji had picked up right where they had left off-a honeymooning couple. As Michelle's pregnancy started to show, however, Neji had become more and more overprotective until Michelle had finally exploded one day at him, saying that he was smothering her and that she was fine-she wouldn't let anything happen to the baby. Anything she could control anyways. After that it was relatively smooth sailing.

Seyann and Kakashi had, however, met with a bump in the road. After they had returned to Konoha an infuriated Seyann (over the fact that her daughter had found an Itcha Itcha Paradise novel in her toy bag) had packed her overnight bag and had taken her daughter to Michelle and Neji's house.

It had taken 2 long weeks (for both of them) and Kakashi's swearing that it would never happen again before she forgave him and went back home.

And was now, six and a half months later sitting around the kitchen table with Sienna and Kakashi, eating take out Ichiraku since a very pregnant Seyann didn't feel like slaving over a hot stove and plus that night she had felt like ramen even though, really, she didn't like the stuff.

Kakashi had learned while she was still pregnant with Sienna that the cravings of a pregnant woman must never go ignored, no matter how odd they may seem.

Seyann was dumping ketchup on her ramen when it happened. She felt a distinct tightening on her stomach muscles. This shocked her, causing her to drop the ketchup bottle and clutch a hand to her swollen stomach. It happened again and Seyann gasped.

"Sey?" asked Kakashi. Seyann waved him off and spoke to Celina instead. "Celina…" she said in a sharp voice. Her daughter blinked and immediately the neko eyes appeared. "What is it Seyann?" purred the Neko demon. "Please loan some of your chakra to Sienna, run and get Sakura and tell Sienna to stay there." In the blink of an eye her daughter was gone.

"Seyann?" the question hung in the air. "It's time Kakashi." The Hokage scooped his wife up bridal style and carried her up the stairs to the bedroom.

After six hours, more cursing than Kakashi thought was possible and little half moon cuts all over Kakashi's arms from Seyann's fingernails…Hatake Angelus was born.

There had been a little bit of debate over the name. Kakashi had been given the honor of naming his silver-haired little girl and as such had told Sey that she could name this child. Once she had told him that, if it were a boy, he would receive the name Angelus, he balked at his decision because of the fact that he knew his wife would end up giving their son the nickname Angel…which he thought wasn't manly…but Seyann hadn't backed down…

So Angelus it was. As Sakura took the dirty linens out of the room, the two studied their new child

Angelus 'Angel' had a tuft of brown hair on his head, hair that stuck out in all directions. As he raised his tiny fists to his face he opened his eyes for the first time, which caused them to notice something odd. He had eyes like his father's. One eye was the color of the moonless night-jet black- and the other…well…like father like son…

The left eye was a Sharingan.

"Kakashi do you understand why his eyes are like this?" said Seyann, confused. "The Sharingan isn't a bloodline trait of either of us…why does our son have it? And in only one eye too…"

Suddenly Seyann stopped talking….and pulsed. "I can answer." Said the demon. "Fire away Celina." Said the Hokage calmly. "Just don't use up too much of Seyann's chakra."

"Ok. As of before the Itachi incident, there were 5 Sharingan carriers left. Uchiha Sasuke, Itachi, Michelle and Itachi jr…although Itachi isn't an awakened user yet. Then there's you. This is just a legend and I'm not exactly sure of the veracity of it, however…according to the legend, bloodline traits have minds of their own…sort of. It's a self-preservation instinct to make sure that the trait continues. What I believe to have happened is that the Sharingan in your left eye sensed that the trait was dying off…and embedded into your DNA, information so that the Sharingan would become something passed on to at least one of your children. From now on, if my suspicions are correct, the first child will bear the Sharingan in one eye. So…your first grandchild, by Angelus will have the Sharingan in their left eye."

"Why didn't Sienna get it?" questioned Kakashi. "Because of me. She would've been too powerful, too young if she had been given the Sharingan plus a fragment of my spirit."

"I see…" said Kakashi slowly. He reached over and picked up one of the clean linens that Sakura had brought in for the birth and folding it into a blindfold like shape, wrapped it around his son's head, covering his Sharingan in the same style that Kaakshi often wore it.

Seyann looked around, Celina apparently gone. Taking Angel from his father's arms, she cuddled him and looked at his face. "So…do you know why he has the Sharingan yet?"

'_Why can't Celina tell her and just save time?'_ He wondered silently before explaining the entire concept to his wife.

A couple of weeks passed. Seyann and Kakashi introduced Angel to the village of Konoha and were rewarded with many coos over how cute he was. Gaara and Mika also came from Suna to meet the new baby.

It was three weeks to the day after Angel was born. Michelle was out walking in the woods, in a secluded area near Konoha. She knew that Neji was somewhere nearby unable to let her out of his sight and that gave her some comfort, considering how close she was to her due date.

As she wandered down the forest trail, looking around at the beauty of nature, she felt something. Almost like a menstrual cramp. She rubbed her belly for a few moments and it went away almost immediately. Aiming for comfort, she lay down on the leaf covered ground in a glade she had just found and looked up at the sky, the 'cramp' almost completely out of her mind.

She didn't think about it until it happened again. And worse than before.

Just in case it was a fluke she waited…

And it happened again.

And that's when she knew. As she sat up and tried to get to her feet, she called out.

"NEJI!" Immediately her husband appeared in front of her. "Unless." Said Michelle "You want this baby born in the middle of the forest, get me back to Konoha now please."

A/N- Ok. Here's the plan for Monday. I'm going to type out chapter 50, the epilogue and the 20th one-shot. They will all be published tomorrow night…

And then When Reality Becomes Blurred will be over.

I've already had a request for a sequel and if ideas can be thought of, it might happen…but after I publish 'To Save a Life' 'Dreaming' and 'Assassination of the Heart' (thanks to ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia for the title.) I only want to have two stories on the go at a time so it might take a while.

But until then, Read and Review this chappie.


	50. Chapter 50

A/N-Wow...just...wow. Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 49- Kyiri Makrono, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, Loku of the REALLY long reviews, Kyuubi92, Seyann of the singular long review (I'm suprised you managed to stay focused for that long...:P) Supershark1, and Duckichan87. Read and review this chapter.

Disclaimer-For the last time, I don't own Naruto

Chapter 50

Almost immediately after his wife called out to him, Neji leapt down from the tree where he had been observing Michelle's movements. 'Chelle suffered another contraction and doubled over. "Are you okay?" he asked her urgently. He then wrinkled his brow "How did you know I was here." "Well." She said as the contraction subsided "I'm having contractions that are about the same as when I get cramps for my period…other than that fine…and I recognized your chakra pattern…you always follow me." She gasped and doubled over as another contraction hit her, her black hair cascading over her face. "Now, as I said if you don't want this baby born out here." She gasped. "GET ME HOME NOW!"

Wisely, Neji picked her up bridal style and raced through the trees back to Konoha.

Michelle was lying on her bed, clutching her stomach when Sakura was finally retrieved from the hospital. "Sakura…I don't know…. I mean you're the expert not me but something feels wrong." She had tears in her eyes and she doubled over as another, stronger contraction wracked her body.

"Well before we jump to conclusions…let me do this…" Sakura closed her eyes and gently placed her hands on Michelle's stomach. "What…are you doing?" asked Michelle uncertainly. Sakura took a calming breath before speaking. "I put my chakra into my hands and I get an image of the baby in my head." As the contraction subsided Michelle nodded in understanding.

"So sort of like an ultrasound." Neji looked at his wife, confused. "What's an ultrasound Chelle?" "Something from the other world…it projects an image of the baby for people to see."

"That's actually what Tsunade based this jutsu on." Said Sakura quietly, in a grim voice.

It was her particular tone of voice that drew Michelle's attention. "Sakura… what's wrong…what's wrong with our baby." Neji took her hand and held it tightly.

"How much do you know about what can go wrong in pregnancy." Michelle gasped and her eyes welled up with tears. Neji bowed his head and kissed his wife's hand and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "Michelle?" pushed Sakura gently.

Michelle took a deep breath and fought for composure. "I…watched documentaries about it in the other world…and I took a couple courses out of fascination…what's wrong with our baby?"

Sakura made eye contact with Michelle and Neji each.

"In the uterus, the baby's umbilical chord has wrapped around his neck. If.." she was cut off by a loud gasp and a sob from Michelle, half from pain and half from panic. Neji leaned down and wrapped his arms around Chelle's neck, holding her tightly and comfortingly."

Sakura continued cautiously. "If I allow this labor to continue as it is right now the chord will tighten around his neck and it will…" Neji straightened from where he was leaning over Michelle and raised a hand. "Please don't say it. We know. What can be done, how can it be stopped?"

Sakura turned away from the sight of Michelle's tears and considered the possibilities. There was the new procedure that she was just learning about from the other realm…she was about to say something when Michelle spoke up, her voice choked with tears.

"Sakura what do you know, if anything about a Caesarian Section." Sakura inhaled gently and turned around to look intently at the mother. "I was just considering it…it's a procedure that Tsunade brought into this world but was only supposed to be used by a skilled medic because of the high risk. I myself only just learned how to perform one." Turning to Neji she explained. "A Caesarian section or a C-section involves cutting open the mothers abdomen and uterus and removing the baby to stop complications from occurring. I'd be able to save the child." Neji breathed in and exchanged a look with his wife. "Neji it's the only way." She whispered. He nodded and turned back to Sakura. "Do it."

Sakura nodded. "Please run to the hospital and get me an assistant. Just say the words Sakura and C-Section and that should get you what you need." Neji kissed his wife. "I'll be back soon Michelle-Koi."

While he was gone, Sakura worked to prepare the room. First she went downstairs and did the traditional boiling of the water to sterilize her tools. Next, she came back up and hunt a curtain suspended over half the bed so that her belly was hidden from Michelle's view. "Michelle just so you know, when the C-section happens, you will be under the influence of a sleeping jutsu so you needn't worry about pain." When Neji got back with the assistant Sakura waited until he was holding his wife's hand and kneeling next to the bed, right next to her head before putting her under the jutsu.

Within a minute Michelle was fast asleep and with that Sakura began. Taking her sterile equipment she began the process.

Within a few minutes it was over. From his position next to Michelle, Neji could hear a strong cry and the accompanying sounds as Sakura cleaned and examined the baby. Before long, she brought their new child across. "It's a boy." She said smiling as she handed the swaddled baby to Neji before going back to heal Michelle's stomach.

Neji kissed his unconscious wife and looked, smiling, at his new son. "Hyuuga Yoichi." He whispered, saying the name that the pair had decided on if it was a boy. "Judging by that crying, I'd say that there's no residual damage from the umbilical chord." Said Sakura with a bit if a smile on her face.

Slowly Neji watched his wife awaken as the jutsu was removed. "Yoichi…" he said softly. "Meet your mother. Chelle…here's our son."

Michelle smiled, still somewhat dazed as she looked at their child. "It's a boy…" she mumbled. They had decided that their first would be a Hyuuga, second Uchiha and then they would go from there.

Hyuuga Yoichi had a tuft of dark brown –almost black- hair, a pale complexion and, when he opened his eyes, they were a sort of grayish-not a light color like Neji's but neither were they the dark shade of Michelle's and pupil less. This left them kind of clueless about whose bloodline trait Yoichi had inherited and therefore they would have to wait until he grew up and was able to activate the trait.

Later, Michelle happened to look at her stomach. "Not bad." Michelle commented. "I doubt there will even be a scar... Sakura knows her work well." Neji lay the baby in the crib for his nap and wrapped his arms around Michelle from her back. "Even if it hadn't healed up good…it's evidence that you're a mother…you're his mother." Michelle leaned her head back against Neji's chest and looked into Neji's violet eyes. He leaned down and pecked her on the mouth. "I love you Neji." She whispered.

The week after the birth the two of them had a party to show Yoichi off to their friends. The party turned into a giant type of reunion where every got together and just celebrated life.

Six years ago three 18-year-old girls lived on the other side of the mirror. Their lives had changed and distorted beyond all recognition.

Mika was the wife of the Kazekage, mother of a 4-year-old daughter and an 8-month-old son and the highest-ranking woman in Suna. Her parents lived in Suna with her and doted on her daughter.

Seyann, similarly was the mother of a 4 year old daughter, one who was best friends with Mika's daughter and the mother of a month old son as well as the highest ranking woman in Konoha. Her mother had accepted the offer to come into Naruto's world and now lived in Konoha next door to her daughter. Seyann's brother and sister had, however, chosen to stay in the other world but she maintained regular contact with them.

Michelle was the mother of a week old son and the loving devoted wife of a loving devoted husband. She still thought about her parents every day. But she had gotten back what she had lost…she had a family now.

As Gaara tried to kill the hermit Sannin for the umpteenth time for hitting on his wife (you'd think the guy would learn) , Mika smiled and cradled her little son.

6 years and 9 months ago for her, reality had blurred.

However, when their reality had blurred, their true lives had begun.

A/N-IT IS OVER! Well go read the epilogue but for all intense purposes it is over! With this there is a one-shot in 'Pieces' making it an even 20 one-shots…

Read and review this and just go read the epilogue and the one-shot…I have all my thank yous at the bottom of the epilogue.


	51. Epilouge

A/N- And that was that...raise your hands if you're going to read my next stories!...I'll be putting chapter one of each out on Thursday, more details below. Read and Review, for the last time.

Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto

Epilogue

_5 Years Later_

Mika lay on her lawn chair, basking in the warm Suna sun. She technically should've been burned by this point; however, she had invented a type of sunscreen that was the equivalent of SPF 200 to protect her pale skin, she was fine. A 5-year-old Kenji was playing on the ground in the shade a couple feet away.

As she got up from her comfortable position to go and prepare supper for Gaara, herself, and the kids, she felt a charkas pattern…a very familiar chakra pattern approaching at a very rapid pace. She barely had time to whirl around and open her arms as two bodies leapt at her. "AUNT MIKA!" The two attackers shrieked happily. As she set down the two bodies to catch her balance she caught sight of a tuft of unruly brown hair with a blindfold covering his left eye. The other attacker had shaggy brown-black hair with gray pupil less eyes.

When Yoichi's bloodline trait had finally awoken it had been discovered that he hadn't gotten the Sharingan or the Byakkugan…he had gotten both. And turning each on was relatively easy-all he had to do for the Sharingan was to close his eyes and say 'Sharingan' and in order to gain the Byakkugan, his father had taught him the necessary hand seals to test if he had the Byakkugan…and lo and behold he did, much to everyone's surprise.

"How are you two little trouble makers?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"We're not troublemakers." Said Angel, indignantly. "We're not?" asked Yoichi before turning back and said "That's right, we're not!" wincing when Angel had elbowed him. "Where are your parents?"

"Mommies and Daddies let us run ahead. Sienna is coming, and so is Itachi…where's Kenji?" Mika smiled. 'Here we go, the three troublemakers.' She thought dryly. "He's over there." The two ran off to meet up with their friends.

Mika smiled knowingly, once the two were gone. It was common knowledge between all the parents that Itachi had a very big crush on Sienna-even though they were all only 9 years old. Sienna, even though she was flattered by the attention that Itachi bestowed upon her, was rather distant…she felt nothing for the Uchiha, she was crushing on Kame, Naruto and Hinata's son. And as far as everyone was concerned, Kame returned the feelings.

It was her own daughter, Keiko, who was crushing on the Uchiha…as long as he was in Suna, Keiko would have a bit of a blushing problem.

Later on that night, in front of the Kazekage's house, a barbeque took place. The three little boys had gotten into a ketchup fight and were now covered from head to toe with ketchup. Itachi, Sienna and Keiko sat off to the side, chatting.

"So how's your mother dealing Mika?" asked Seyann softly. Mika looked away. Her father had died a couple moths ago. "She's holding up…we knew it was going to happen, he was a lot older than her. The support that everyone in Suna has given her and myself is remarkable. If she had still been in the other world, she would've had no one."

Mika glanced over at the older kids under the trees, watching Itachi fawn over Sienna and watching Keiko gaze at Itachi with unabashed love in her eyes. "Sey, someone's going to have to break it to Itachi that him and Sienna are related...and that cousins really shouldn't date...even second and third cousins. That's just wrong. Remember how we reacted whenever we read a Hinata/Neji fanfiction in the old world?" Seyann laughed. "You're right...I'll have to talk to Sakura about that."

"Let's see…the kids are distracted… girls, what say we pill our old stunt?" Suggested Mika, wriggling her eyebrows. Seyann burst out laughing. "Mika we haven't done that one in months. Why suggest it now?" A smirk grew on Michelle's face. "I think that's the point Sey."

"Very well…" The three girls all stood up and turned to face their husbands. "Boys…" they chorused. The boys looked over to their wives…it hit Gaara first.

"Mika…. why do I feel like this is your idea…" he said warningly.

His wife just smiled and shrugged. "Ready girls?" "Ready!" they said in unison.

"Oiroke no Jutsu." They chorused and turned into sexy men…

"Ok, that's enough of that…" said Gaara idly, glancing at his son. Right on cue, as he glanced at his son, a splatter of ketchup landed on his wife's male form, shocking her back to her real form. Similar things happened to Michelle and Seyann, courtesy of Yoichi and Angel.

"Oh you're going to get it Kenji." Laughed Mika as she grabbed the mustard bottle and aimed it at her son. "Mika…" said Gaara rolling his eyes "Don't start…." He was cut off when some of the ketchup 'somehow' landed on his body. He looked down at his mustard covered mesh t-shirt and looked back up at his son. "Sorry daddy…" said Kenji sheepishly.

"Oh you'll be sorry Kenji." Assured Gaara before he picked up the relish.

Mika laughed as she watched the adults and the youngest children engage in a full out condiment fight. She could see the older kids over by the tree and could imagine that they were telling each other something along the lines of how they were obviously the most mature people there.

Life was good.

A/N-Author Sighs Melancholy. it's over. Over. Right now I'm going to do my thank yous…

Thanks to 'Seyann' and 'Michelle' for helping me think up ideas for the story and the one-shot. Seyann more with story ideas and Michelle with drawing the story out…both of you guys rock and I don't know what I'd do without you..

Thanks to all who reviewed the story…

Special thanks to people who have been faithful reviewers of the story…

Special thanks to Loku of the Long Reviews…(seriously, go read at least one of her reviews…they're LONG!) and to Kyiri Makrono who was, possibly, more mad than I was over the SINGLE flame that this story received.

And That Was All She Wrote…

Actually that's technically not true, I will be writing more stories…my next two, as I will be doing two chapter stories simultaneously, are going to be two Naruto stories…

One called 'To Save A Life' and one, that is a plot given to me by MyNameIsKelsie13 that is titled "Potions Problems". Hope that you guys read those ones….

THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!


End file.
